Gilchrist recaps her first 60 days

I was appointed as Lincoln County Commissioner for District 1 on February 1, 2023. I am the first female to serve on the Board of County Commissioners and joins Commissioner Scott Hutsell who has served since 2009 and Commissioner Rob Coffman who has served since 2010.

I have been busy engaging with the local citizens she represents and am fully committed to my new role as County Commissioner. My list of committee appointments has grown quickly and some include Lincoln County Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board, Columbia River Policy Advisory Group, Columbia Basin Development League, Eastern WA Council of Governments, Columbia Basin Sustainable Water Coalition, Rural Resources Community Action, Lincoln County Lost and Found Pet Network, Lincoln County Board of Health, and Lincoln County Health Collaborative.

By serving on these boards and committees, I can advocate for Lincoln County and lobby for funding, projects, education, and services. Having a voice at the table is important and Lincoln County Commissioners have played a very active role in leading many of the discussions.

There are several large projects to watch for around Lincoln County over the next few months:

Broadband – Lincoln County was awarded Zero dB the construction contract for the first phase of fiber optic cable installation. Funding for this phase of the project mainly consists of a Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) Grant, totaling $1.96 million and and additional $818,000 from the State Broadband Office. This phase of the project will consist of running fiber optic cable between Wilbur and Almira and installing cable in the towns of Almira, Creston, and Harrington. Once the infrastructure is in place, citizens will have access to reliable internet service through an Internet Service Provider (ISP) of their choosing. Additional grants have been applied for and some have already been awarded. The county will continue to build out the infrastructure to provide internet service to as many residents of Lincoln County as possible!

Hawk Creek Road – 5.6 miles of Hawk Creek Road will be prepped later this month and into May. The prep work includes minor ditching and subgrade preparation. Bituminous Treatment (chip seal) will be applied in mid-June!

Miles Creston Road – This project will start at State Route 2 and continue to Copenhaver Road, which is about 4.66 miles long. Widening, ditching and subgrade preparation is expected to begin early to mid-summer. The road will receive a wintertime suspension and the bituminous surface (chip seal) will be added in 2024.

Fairgrounds – There are great things happening at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds! The dining hall and auditorium both have had a major face lift with some construction, new lighting for the stage, a new furnace, and a fresh coat of paint on the walls and concrete floors.

The bathrooms between the auditorium and the dining hall have been enlarged and completely redone. The building is available for rent and is a great venue for graduations, weddings, parties, and events. Mark your calendars: August 24-26 is the Lincoln County Fair and Rodeo!

I am extremely fortunate to have joined Commissioner Hutsell and Commissioner Coffman who have really taken the time to assist me in my new role. I love the challenge of learning new things and have enjoyed meeting so many great people that have a passion for serving their communities. I am proud to serve Lincoln County as your newest County Commissioner!

— Jo Gilchrist is the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners representative for District 1. She can be reached at jgilchrist@co.lincoln.wa.us.