Lewis County Public Works holds ribbon-cutting at new Chehalis location
From left, Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope, Public Works Director Josh Metcalf, Facilities Administrator Alex Murray, Commissioner Scott Brummer and Commissioner Lindsey Pollock attend the Public Works building ribbon-cutting May 22.
CHEHALIS – The Lewis County department that maintains over 1,000 miles of county roads, two airports, solid waste and various publicly-owned properties, is now housed in new offices at 57 W. Main St. in Chehalis.
A ribbon-cutting was held Monday afternoon at the new location for Lewis County Public Works.
In addition to managing annual road maintenance and construction programs, the 160 employees at Public Works handle traffic engineering and geographic information systems.
“It’s a committed and dedicated team,” beamed Lewis County Public Works Director Josh Metcalf. “Everyone works well together for the public good – it’s rewarding.”
Public Works Director Josh Metcalf sits in his office inside the new Public Works Building in Chehalis.
The new facility brings all of the Public Works teams into one building on the central county campus, south of downtown Chehalis. The offices are intended to be accessible and customer friendly in a service-focused environment.
Lewis County Public Works Director Josh Metcalf in his office in the new Public Works Building at 57 W. Main St. in Chehalis.
“We completed this 11,000-square-foot building renovation with a county crew and county oversight – saving a lot of money along the way,” Lewis County Facilities Administrator Alex Murray said.
“I’m really proud of our construction crew for a job well done,” said Lewis County Commission Chair Sean Swope.
“Our county facilities crew has done a fantastic job doing this in-house and saving the taxpayers,” Commissioner Scott Brummer said. “This building is part of the Chehalis heritage – a beautiful building that is now restored for many years to come, and the citizens of Lewis County can be proud of the work that’s been done here.”
“It’s an absolutely wonderful building and I’m glad we’ve been able to preserve it,” Commissioner Lindsey Pollock added. “The ability to get our entire Public Works team into this structure has been a fantastic addition for folks to be able to conduct necessary county business in one spot.”
“It’s very exciting to see another project with big vision come to completion,” Interim Lewis County Manager Steve Wohld said. “There were many challenges along the way, but staff persevered and the results are truly exciting and offer long-lasting benefit to our community.”
“It’s exciting to see the first step of Lewis County’s vision of a central campus downtown,” said Chehalis City Manager Jill Anderson. “Renovation of this beautiful building ensures that its rich history will be preserved in a way that will allow it to function effectively today and in the years to come. I congratulate Lewis County on this significant milestone in making public services more accessible, convenient, and enjoyable.”