Title 36 — Title 36 COUNTIES

The term "county commissioners" when used in this title or any other provision of law shall include the governmental authority empowered to so act under the provisions of a charter adopted by any county of the state.[ 1971 ex.s. c 117 s 1.]

There is established in each county in this state a board of county commissioners. Except as provided in RCW 36.32.055 and 36.32.0552, each board of county commissioners shall consist of three qualified electors, two of whom shall constitute a quorum to do business.[ 1990 c 252 s…

The board of county commissioners of each county shall divide their county into three commissioner districts so that each district shall comprise as nearly as possible one-third of the population of the county: PROVIDED, That the territory comprised in any voting precincts of suc…

(1) Except as provided otherwise in subsection (2) of this section, the terms of office of county commissioners shall be four years and shall extend until their successors are elected and qualified and assume office in accordance with RCW 29A.60.280. The terms of office of county…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the qualified electors of each county commissioner district, and they only, shall nominate from among their own number, candidates for the office of county commissioner of such commissioner district to be voted for at the …

(1) Except as provided otherwise in subsection (2) of this section or this chapter, county commissioners shall be elected by the qualified voters of the county and the person receiving the highest number of votes for the office of commissioner for the district in which he or she …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "District" means a geographic area within county boundaries and designated in a county redistricting plan, as provided in RCW 36.32.054.(2) "District election" means a …

(1) Beginning in 2022, any noncharter county with a population of four hundred thousand or more must have a board of commissioners with five members, and must use district nominations and district elections for its commissioner positions, in accordance with RCW 36.32.050.(a) By A…

(1) A county redistricting committee established under this chapter must have five members appointed in each year ending in one, as follows:(a) One member shall be appointed by the members of each of the two largest caucuses, respectively, of the house of representatives whose le…

(1) Within one hundred twenty days after a redistricting committee is established under this chapter, the committee must prepare and publish a draft districting plan dividing the county into five commissioner districts. The committee must hold public meetings in preparing the dra…

(1) The board of commissioners of any noncharter county with a population of three hundred thousand or more, and less than four hundred thousand, may cause a ballot proposition to be submitted at a general election to the voters of the county authorizing the board of commissioner…

If the ballot proposition receives majority voter approval, the size of the board of county commissioners shall be increased to five members as provided in this section.The two newly created positions shall be filled at elections to be held in the next year. The county shall, as …

The terms of the persons who are initially elected to positions four and five under RCW 36.32.0552 shall be as follows:(1) If the year in which the primary and general elections are held is an even-numbered year, the person elected to position four shall be elected for a two-year…

The commissioners in a five-member board of county commissioners shall be elected to four-year staggered terms. Each commissioner shall reside in a separate commissioner district. Each commissioner shall be nominated from a separate commissioner district by the voters of that dis…

The bond of each county commissioner shall be payable to the county, and it shall be conditioned that the commissioner shall well and faithfully discharge the duties of his or her office, and not approve, audit, or order paid any illegal, unwarranted, or unjust claim against the …

(1) The county legislative authority of each county shall hold regular meetings at the county seat or at a location designated in accordance with subsection (2) or (3) of this section to transact any business required or permitted by law.(2)(a) Any two or more county legislative …

(1) The county legislative authority of each county may hold special meetings at the county seat or at a location designated in accordance with subsection (2) or (3) of this section to transact the business of the county. Notice of a special meeting shall be made as provided in R…

The board of county commissioners at their first session after the general election shall elect one of its number to preside at its meetings. He or she shall sign all documents requiring the signature of the board, and his or her signature as chair of the board shall be as legal …

The county auditor shall be the clerk of the board of county commissioners unless the board of county commissioners designates one of its employees to serve as clerk who shall attend its meetings and keep a record of its proceedings.[ 1981 c 240 s 1; 1963 c 4 s 36.32.110. Prior: …

The legislative authorities of the several counties shall:(1) Provide for the erection and repairing of courthouses, jails, and other necessary public buildings for the use of the county;(2) Lay out, discontinue, or alter county roads and highways within their respective counties…

In addition to other authority that a county possesses, a county may provide any public improvement as defined under RCW 39.89.020, but this additional authority is limited to participating in the financing of the public improvements as provided under RCW 39.89.050.This section d…

(1) A state licensed massage therapist seeking a county license to operate a massage business must provide verification of his or her state massage license as provided for in RCW 18.108.030.(2) The county may charge a licensing or operating fee, but the fee charged a state licens…

Nothing in this chapter shall permit the counties to adopt, by reference or by ordinance, regulations relating to the subject matter contained in chapters 19.28, 43.22, 70.79, or 70.87 RCW.[ 1971 ex.s. c 117 s 2.]Notes:Adoption of provisions relating to electricians and electrica…

No county may establish a penalty for an act that constitutes the crime of driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, as provided for in RCW 46.61.502, or the crime of being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of into…

When only two members are present at a meeting of the board, and a division takes place on any question, the matter under consideration shall be postponed to the next subsequent meeting.[ 1963 c 4 s 36.32.130. Prior: Code 1881 s 2671; 1869 p 304 s 9; 1867 p 53 s 9; 1863 p 541 s 9…

The county commissioners of each county shall have and use a seal for the purpose of sealing their proceedings, and copies of the same when signed and sealed by the said county commissioners, and attested by their clerk, shall be admitted as evidence of such proceedings in the tr…

The board of county commissioners shall cause to be recorded, in a book kept for that purpose, all their proceedings and determinations touching all matters properly cognizable before it; and all books, accounts, vouchers, and papers, touching the business or property of the coun…

The county commissioners shall, when any of the county records become so mutilated that their handling becomes dangerous to the safety of such records, and when in the judgment of the county commissioners it may become necessary to, order the transcribing of said records at a sum…

All records transcribed by order of any board of county commissioners in this state prior to the effective date of chapter 14, Laws of 1893, shall be and are hereby declared the legal records of said county the same as if transcribed under the provisions of RCW 36.32.150 through …

The books containing the transcribed records shall be certified by the county auditor, under whose direction the transcribing was done, as being true copies of the original.[ 1963 c 4 s 36.32.160. Prior: 1893 c 14 s 2; RRS s 4066.]

All the original record books, after the transcribing thereof, shall be filed away in the auditor's office and only be used in case of contest on the correctness of the transcribed records.[ 1963 c 4 s 36.32.170. Prior: 1893 c 14 s 3; RRS s 4067.]

It shall be unlawful for a county legislative authority to employ or contract with any attorney or counsel to perform any duty which any prosecuting attorney is authorized or required by law to perform, unless the contract of employment of such attorney or counsel has been first …

Each board of county commissioners of the several counties of the state of Washington shall file with the auditor of the county a full and complete inventory of all capitalized assets kept in accordance with standards established by the state auditor.[ 2017 c 37 s 1; 2003 c 53 s …

To increase small business participation in ferry vessel procurement, the Washington state department of transportation's office of equal opportunity shall establish contract goals for county electric ferry vessel procurement.(1) The contract goal is defined as a percentage of th…

Any county may use the following competitive bidding procedures for procurement and design of electric ferries:(1)(a) After bids that are submitted in response to a competitive solicitation process are reviewed by the awarding county, the awarding county may:(i) Reject all bids a…

(1) In each county which by resolution establishes a county purchasing department, the purchasing department shall enter into leases of personal property on a competitive basis and purchase all supplies, materials, and equipment on a competitive basis, for all departments of the …

(1) In any county the county legislative authority may by resolution establish a county purchasing department.(2) In each county with a population of less than four hundred thousand which exercises this option, the purchasing department shall contract on a competitive basis for a…

(1) No contract for the purchase of materials, equipment, or supplies may be entered into by the county legislative authority or by any elected or appointed officer of the county until after bids have been submitted to the county. Bid specifications shall be in writing and shall …

No contract for public works may be entered into by the county legislative authority or by any elected or appointed officer of the county until after bids have been submitted to the county upon specifications therefor. Such specifications shall be in writing and shall be filed wi…

No lease of personal property may be entered into by the county legislative authority or by any elected or appointed officer of the county except upon use of the procedures specified in this chapter and chapter 39.04 RCW for awarding contracts for purchases when it leases persona…

A county when calling for competitive bids for the procurement of road maintenance materials may award to multiple bidders for the same commodity when the bid specifications provide for the factors of haul distance to be included in the determination of which vendor is truly the …

In any county having a purchasing department the board of county commissioners shall appoint a county purchasing agent, who shall be the head of such purchasing department. The county purchasing agent shall have had previous purchasing experience as purchasing agent of a commerci…

RCW 36.32.240, 36.32.250, and 36.32.260 do not apply to the selection of persons or entities to construct or develop water pollution control facilities or to provide water pollution control services under RCW 70A.140.040 or the selection of persons or entities to construct or dev…

The county legislative authority may waive the competitive bidding requirements of this chapter pursuant to RCW 39.04.280 if an exemption contained within that section applies to the purchase or public work.[ 1998 c 278 s 4; 1963 c 4 s 36.32.270. Prior: 1961 c 169 s 3; 1945 c 61 …

The state in the exercise of its sovereign and police power authorizes any county alone or acting jointly with any other county to regulate and control the flow of waters, both navigable and nonnavigable, within such county or counties, for the purpose of preventing floods which …

When the board of county commissioners of any county deems it essential to the public interest for flood prevention purposes it may remove drifts, jams, logs, debris, gravel, earth, stone or bars forming obstructions to the stream, or other material from the beds, channels, and b…

When any forest trees are situated upon the bank of any watercourse or so close thereto as to be in danger of falling into it, the owner or occupant of any of the premises shall be notified to remove them forthwith. The notice shall be based upon a resolution or order of the coun…

(1) Prior to transferring ownership of a county-owned vessel, the county shall conduct a thorough review of the physical condition of the vessel, the vessel's operating capability, and any containers and other materials that are not fixed to the vessel.(2) If the county determine…

(1) Following the inspection required under RCW 36.32.302 and prior to transferring ownership of a county-owned vessel, a county shall obtain the following from the transferee:(a) The purposes for which the transferee intends to use the vessel; and(b) Information demonstrating th…

Any person may appeal to the superior court from any decision or order of the board of county commissioners. Such appeal shall be taken within twenty days after the decision or order, and the appellant shall within that time serve notice of appeal on the county commissioners. The…