1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,360 the way you're feeling may dictate which pair of glasses 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:05,200 you put on. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:06,020 Yeah, I might be feeling more emo 4 00:00:06,020 --> 00:00:07,200 and I'm wearing really all black 5 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:08,680 and so I put on the black glasses, 6 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:11,400 maybe a little more colorful like today. 7 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,760 Got the green dress on, got the green glasses on. 8 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:14,580 Yeah. 9 00:00:14,580 --> 00:00:15,420 Maybe a little more, 10 00:00:15,420 --> 00:00:16,260 What did you say? 11 00:00:16,260 --> 00:00:17,400 The mood ring of the face. 12 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,120 Mood ring, it's my facial mood ring. 13 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,720 I didn't even know a facial mood ring was a thing. 14 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:26,080 Welcome to County Connection, 15 00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:28,640 the official podcast of the Washington State Association 16 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,320 of Counties, where we dive into the legislative issues 17 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,280 shaping the future of our communities. 18 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:34,920 From budgets to public safety, 19 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:36,720 infrastructure to elections, 20 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,260 we'll break down what's happening in Olympia 21 00:00:39,260 --> 00:00:42,400 and how it impacts counties from across the Evergreen State. 22 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,360 Stay informed, stay engaged, 23 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:46,240 and join us as we amplify the voice 24 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,240 of Washington's 39 counties. 25 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,400 All right, welcome back everybody to, 26 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:53,760 I think this is still our second episode 27 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,040 of the County Connection podcast. 28 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,480 I'm back in the studio here at the WSAC office 29 00:00:58,480 --> 00:00:59,320 in Olympia. 30 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:00,160 My name's Paul Jewell, 31 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:01,680 I'm the government relations director 32 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,440 for the Washington State Association of Counties. 33 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,720 And today I have a surprise guest, 34 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,260 not one of our normal guests, 35 00:01:07,260 --> 00:01:08,640 but somebody that we're really happy to have 36 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:09,480 here in the studio. 37 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,880 And that is Jane Wall, 38 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,080 the executive director of the County Road Administration 39 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:14,920 Board. 40 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:16,000 Welcome Jane, thanks for coming by. 41 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:17,600 Yeah, thanks for asking me. 42 00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:18,600 This is exciting. 43 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,080 Yeah, it's great to see you again. 44 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:23,060 So for those of you who are maybe newer listeners 45 00:01:23,060 --> 00:01:25,020 or newer members of WSAC, you may not remember, 46 00:01:25,020 --> 00:01:28,600 but Jane used to be one of our policy staff members here 47 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:29,420 at the association. 48 00:01:29,420 --> 00:01:32,560 In fact, you and I started at exactly the same time. 49 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:33,400 That's right. 50 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:35,000 I think you were one day before me. 51 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:36,360 So you always had that. 52 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:37,680 You always had that little claim. 53 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:39,760 Kind of like twins who can say that, 54 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:41,240 I was born 10 minutes before you, 55 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:42,080 so I'm older, right? 56 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:43,000 That's right. 57 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,320 I think I am older in this one, 58 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:46,960 but we're not gonna share that with our listeners. 59 00:01:46,960 --> 00:01:48,600 Well, thanks for stopping by. 60 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:49,840 I know you had a meeting today 61 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:51,440 and we're just kind of grabbing you out of that 62 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:53,800 for a few minutes to have a quick chat. 63 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:55,200 You are the executive director 64 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,740 of the County Road Administration Board, 65 00:01:56,740 --> 00:01:59,160 and I know a lot of folks know what that is, 66 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,040 but we also have quite a few new members this year. 67 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:03,960 Why don't you quickly explain 68 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,080 what the County Road Administration Board is 69 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:07,000 and what you do? 70 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:08,140 Yeah, great question. 71 00:02:08,140 --> 00:02:11,700 So the County Road Administration Board is a state agency, 72 00:02:11,700 --> 00:02:14,660 and what's really special about us is that WSAC 73 00:02:14,660 --> 00:02:18,360 plays a really key component and part in our agency 74 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:22,760 in that you appoint our board. 75 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,800 We are made up of six county commissioners 76 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,360 or council members and three county engineers 77 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,400 from small, medium, and large size counties. 78 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,400 And why I say that's unique is that many boards 79 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,520 and commissions that exist in Washington 80 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,720 have a component where an association would appoint 81 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,920 or nominate an individual from their association 82 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:42,840 to be on that board, 83 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:44,840 but then ultimately it's the governor, 84 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:47,320 it's the secretary of transportation or whatnot 85 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,120 that actually are the signing authority, 86 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:51,680 the appointing authority, 87 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,160 where WSAC is the sole appointing authority to our board. 88 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:57,920 We were established back in 1965, 89 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:00,840 first and foremost as a regulatory agency 90 00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,240 of county road departments. 91 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:04,760 We oversee compliance and accountability 92 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:06,360 of your road departments. 93 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,720 And the reason we came about was to oversee 94 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:11,000 the distribution of the motor vehicle fuel tax 95 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,040 to ensure that the 18th Amendment protections 96 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:16,820 that the gas tax enjoys, 97 00:03:16,820 --> 00:03:20,800 that those revenues were being spent in appropriate places 98 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,440 on road purposes. 99 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:26,080 Over time, we have grown to incorporate 100 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:27,480 several grant programs. 101 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,760 And that's probably, if you're in the county world, 102 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,960 how you know us most is that CRAB money, 103 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:33,520 the Rural Arterial Program 104 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:35,800 and the County Arterial Preservation Program 105 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,840 are our primary grant programs. 106 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,480 We also have a ferry program for our four ferry counties 107 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,200 and then an emergency loan program. 108 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,040 We also provide professional and technical expertise. 109 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,200 We have civil engineers on our staff 110 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,120 and all of those engineers have actually worked 111 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,400 in the county world at one time or another. 112 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:57,280 And then we provide advocacy and support 113 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:58,400 of our county road departments, 114 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,120 but our counties overall with policymakers, 115 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,800 the legislature and the executive branch. 116 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,000 Wow, that's a lot. 117 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:05,840 It's a lot. 118 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:07,240 Yeah, that's a lot for a state agency. 119 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,520 And I love, one of the things that we like most about CRAB, 120 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,960 well, of course we love the grant programs. 121 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,720 We had Axel in here, I think an episode or two ago, 122 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:19,120 and we went over the RAP program 123 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:20,960 and the, what's the other one? 124 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:21,800 RAP and- 125 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:23,560 The County Arterial Preservation, CAP. 126 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,240 CAP, that's right. 127 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:27,680 So we went over both of those in some of the details. 128 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:29,800 He did a great job explaining that. 129 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:31,800 But obviously the technical assistance, 130 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,080 the fact that we as an association have full authority 131 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,440 to appoint the board I think is really important too. 132 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:39,960 When you think about a state agency that's pretty unique 133 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:42,080 compared to other state agencies. 134 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,160 You mentioned 18th Amendment protection. 135 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,440 That's something that we haven't actually talked about here 136 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,040 on the podcast. 137 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:49,760 And I know what you're referring to, 138 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:52,040 but let's make sure that everyone else who's listening 139 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:53,000 knows what you're referring to. 140 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,680 Do you wanna just explain that really quickly? 141 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:55,520 Absolutely. 142 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:57,520 So in Washington State, the gas tax 143 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,440 has a constitutional provision wrapped around it 144 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,560 that specifies how and where those dollars can be spent. 145 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,000 Which means the gas tax can only be spent 146 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,160 for what are known as road purposes. 147 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,360 Those are in quotes. 148 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,000 Our Supreme Court has ruled what road purposes are. 149 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,120 And so for example, 150 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,120 that's not in your public health department. 151 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:21,240 That's not in your public defender's office. 152 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,400 It's primarily in the road department. 153 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,200 And then there are some special uses 154 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,360 around your sheriff's office where they can be spent. 155 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:29,200 Okay. 156 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,520 And then you also mentioned that as an agency, CRAB, 157 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:34,040 or the County Road Administration Board, 158 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,200 affectionately known of course as CRAB, 159 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,160 also does some oversight and some technical assistance. 160 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,040 You've got some engineers on staff that work with counties. 161 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:45,920 But what's the oversight piece that you're talking about? 162 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,480 Yeah, so as I referenced earlier, 163 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,560 the reason we came about was to oversee that distribution 164 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:51,920 of the motor vehicle fuel tax 165 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,120 to ensure that those dollars were being spent correctly. 166 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,160 Every year counties must report their road log 167 00:05:58,160 --> 00:05:59,720 to the County Road Administration Board, 168 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,080 which is how many miles of road you have. 169 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:07,080 And that data point goes into a rather complex calculation 170 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,080 on how road revenues are distributed 171 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,960 among the counties fairly and equitably. 172 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,280 In addition to those accounting or performance requirements, 173 00:06:17,280 --> 00:06:21,680 we also ask for other reports 174 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:23,840 around your six-year road plan, 175 00:06:23,840 --> 00:06:25,920 around your transportation budget. 176 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:28,080 We wanna make sure you have a part-time 177 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:31,320 or full-time county engineer or civil engineer on staff, 178 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,200 things of that nature that are listed out in statute 179 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,640 that your county road department needs to be abiding by. 180 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:38,320 And we're that agency that's ensuring 181 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:39,160 that that's taking place. 182 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,080 So these are requirements that we're already supposed to 183 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:43,680 be abiding by, like you said. 184 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,160 They're things that counties are supposed to be doing, 185 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:46,360 and you're kind of the oversight for that. 186 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:47,320 That's correct, yes. 187 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,720 Okay, so you, as I mentioned at the beginning 188 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,720 of the podcast, you used to be staff here at WSAC, 189 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:56,000 and then you joined as the executive director 190 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,000 of the County Road Administration Board, 191 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:00,880 or they hired you, I guess is probably the right word. 192 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:01,960 Boy, I can't even remember. 193 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:03,200 Was that three or four years ago now? 194 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,080 Almost four, so before in June. 195 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:08,560 So that was kind of a big transition, right? 196 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,320 You went from working for a nonprofit 197 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:12,920 to working for a state agency. 198 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,920 What are some of the things that surprised you 199 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,360 that you can share with us? 200 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,320 Obviously, there's probably a few stories 201 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:25,840 that maybe you can't, but what are the things 202 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,880 that maybe surprised you about making that transition? 203 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:30,360 Yeah, great question. 204 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,200 So I had worked for state government once in the past, 205 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,640 so I was going back, and there are some of the rules 206 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,600 and the bureaucracy that exist within state government 207 00:07:41,600 --> 00:07:45,360 that I could do without, and I miss the association world 208 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:47,200 in many respects because of that. 209 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,640 Well, we miss you too, Jan. 210 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:50,200 But we're glad that you're at CRAB too. 211 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,800 Thank you, and I really do miss from the association world 212 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,920 working with the members, and I am lucky enough 213 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:02,320 in the respect that CRAB is closely associated with WSAC, 214 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,600 and I think that that's a special relationship we share. 215 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:07,880 And so just about the time of year 216 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,760 when I'm starting to feel really downtrodden 217 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,160 and like we're just not making any sort of gains 218 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:13,640 or we're just not getting progress, 219 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,520 then I get to go to the Association of County Engineers 220 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:17,920 annual conference, or I get to go 221 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:19,240 to the county leaders conference, 222 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,080 and I'm reminded of the work of what we do 223 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,680 and why it's important and it's special. 224 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,240 And so I feel good about being at a state agency 225 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,640 that is representing my county partners and family 226 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,360 and making sure that we're at the table 227 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,200 and your voices are being heard. 228 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,080 Well, and just hanging out with county engineers 229 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,200 from time to time, that's a fun group. 230 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,160 It is, I mean, they're a lot funnier than you'd think. 231 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:47,080 They're pretty analytical, but. 232 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:48,040 I don't know if that's true. 233 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:50,280 I don't know if I can believe you on that one. 234 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:51,120 We'll have to see. 235 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:52,320 I've met a lot of county engineers 236 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:53,600 and some of them are pretty funny. 237 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:55,800 There's some pretty good dad jokes through our holes. 238 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,240 Oh, oh boy, you should hang out around here every now and again, 239 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:00,560 even ones that I don't find funny, 240 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:03,880 and I find most of them funny. 241 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:05,040 What are you guys working on? 242 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:06,480 What's important this year? 243 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,840 What do you want our members to know about what CRAB is doing? 244 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:11,960 So CRAB has come forward with our most ambitious 245 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,600 legislative agenda, and I would argue in decades. 246 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,560 Granted, I haven't been at CRAB for decades, 247 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:21,880 but I think it's fair to say in that because we are asking 248 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,120 to establish a new grant program at our agency 249 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,120 that would fund what are known as local roads. 250 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,200 Now, you're probably going to ask me, what are local roads? 251 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,720 Well, actually, I'm not because we went into this 252 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:37,240 in great detail with Axel because the new ones deal 253 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,560 with the arterial roads, which remain thoroughfares. 254 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:43,920 Local roads actually make up the majority of the other roads 255 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,360 that counties have, and there really isn't a grant program 256 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,160 to help support those. 257 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:47,760 That is right. 258 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:48,280 That's right. 259 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,760 And so we undertook a study over the interim. 260 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:53,320 We hired Burke and Associates, and they 261 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,600 did a real scrubbing of our current grant programs. 262 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:57,200 We wanted to make sure that they were 263 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:58,600 meeting the needs of today. 264 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:00,920 Those programs were created, our grant programs, 265 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,360 in the mid-'80s and early-'90s and haven't changed much. 266 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,160 What we found is those programs really 267 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,200 are meeting the needs of our customers, 268 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:10,200 and that's a good thing. 269 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,560 But what came out of the report, the big recommendation, 270 00:10:13,560 --> 00:10:18,960 was we have this other glaring hole that's not being addressed, 271 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:20,160 and that's local roads. 272 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:21,000 OK. 273 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,560 OK, so that's kind of the main thing 274 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:25,080 that you're working on legislatively. 275 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,760 Do you have anything else that's out there? 276 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:30,000 Well, I'll say just going back to the local road component 277 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,400 is we have a big budget request associated with that, 278 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,400 and then we also have two bills, companion bills. 279 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,400 We've got House Bill 1098 that is sitting, 280 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,160 waiting for executive session, and so working 281 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:43,400 with members of the House to try to get that out of there, 282 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:44,320 of transportation. 283 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:45,200 And then just- 284 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:46,480 What does that bill do? 285 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:48,680 It will establish the local road program. 286 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:50,800 OK, so that establishes the grant program itself. 287 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:51,400 That's correct. 288 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:54,400 And its companion was dropped just yesterday. 289 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,720 I don't know when this will air, but Senator Leas, Chairman 290 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:02,920 Leas is the sponsor of that, and it's Senate Bill 5544, 291 00:11:02,920 --> 00:11:05,440 and hoping for a public hearing in the next week. 292 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:07,200 OK, so that's the companion to 1098. 293 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:08,240 That's correct, yes. 294 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,560 So if our members who are listening to this now 295 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:13,760 wanted to jump in and help, they could certainly 296 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:19,440 email the House Transportation Chair, Representative Fai, 297 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,680 and ask him to move House Bill 1098. 298 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:24,520 And if they are interested in helping on the Senate side, 299 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,920 look for a hearing that might come up, 300 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:28,360 put some comments into that hearing, 301 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:30,160 and after that's done, also ask for that one 302 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,280 to be moved out of the committee and to executive session. 303 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:38,160 Yeah, and I would pay attention to Axel Swanson's reports, 304 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:39,560 and he's following these closely, 305 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:41,160 and he can keep people apprised. 306 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:42,160 OK, great. 307 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:43,400 Well, how's everything else? 308 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,800 Things are great. 309 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:45,920 I live here in Olympia. 310 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:48,280 I got two kids that are just growing like weeds. 311 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:50,080 I've got a kindergartner and a third grader, 312 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:51,920 and they're having a blast this year. 313 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:52,360 Things are good. 314 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:53,360 Well, the weather's been amazing. 315 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:54,280 It's been incredible. 316 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:54,920 For January. 317 00:11:54,920 --> 00:11:57,320 Yeah, I think we've had almost no rain. 318 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:58,960 Bluebird over here, for those of you 319 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,200 living in central and eastern Washington, 320 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,440 we have your winter weather right now. 321 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:05,320 But apparently, the rain is returning. 322 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:06,560 Oh, it'll return. 323 00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:08,280 It always does here in Olympia. 324 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:09,880 Well, thanks for stopping by, Jane. 325 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:10,880 We really appreciate it. 326 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:11,960 It's great seeing you. 327 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:16,840 Welcome back to the WSAC office, at least temporarily today. 328 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,520 And I hear that we are in Eric Johnson's former office, 329 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:24,600 and I may have seen his ghost just pass by. 330 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,640 So that's the second time someone, poor Eric and his ghost, 331 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,160 you know he's still with us, right? 332 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:31,160 I do know, yes. 333 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,200 Eric, if you're out there, I'm sorry. 334 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:34,600 I don't know what it is. 335 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:36,600 It's just he's such a presence. 336 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:39,080 His presence is still around all of us, 337 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:40,680 and we wish him the best as well. 338 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:41,560 Absolutely. 339 00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:44,520 Well, Jane, like I said, thanks for coming by. 340 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:49,440 Your debut performance on our new podcast here at WSAC. 341 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:51,280 Hopefully, we'll be able to catch you another time, 342 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:52,320 and maybe we'll get some updates. 343 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:53,720 Yeah, I would love it, definitely. 344 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:54,720 We'll take care till then. 345 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:55,200 Thanks. 346 00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:57,440 Yeah, thanks. 347 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,480 Thanks for tuning in to County Connection. 348 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:01,200 Stay in the loop by subscribing to us 349 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,040 through your preferred podcasting app 350 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:06,360 and following us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. 351 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:08,520 And don't forget to join the Hub, your go-to source 352 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,880 for the latest news and updates from the Washington State 353 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,360 Association of Counties. 354 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:24,000 Until next time, stay connected and stay informed.