Volunteers needed for Civil Service, ELCPDA, LMTAAA, BRB and Fair, Veterans and Health boards

The Lewis County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is looking for volunteers interested in filling vacancies on several of its boards and committees, including the following:

  • Civil Service Commission
  • East Lewis County Public Development Authority (ELCPDA)
  • Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA)
  • Southwest Washington Fair Advisory Board
  • Veterans Advisory Board (VAB)

The BOCC also is sharing information regarding two other volunteer opportunities available:

  • Public Health & Social Services (PHSS) Advisory Board – this position is appointed by the Lewis County Board of Health
  • Boundary Review Board (BRB) – this position is appointed by the governor

>> Individuals interested in any of the positions appointed by the BOCC – the Civil Service, the ELCPDA, the LMTAAA, the Fair Advisory Board or the Veterans Advisory Board – should click here for an application and click here for a sample letter of interest, then submit the two forms in one of the following three ways:

  • By mail at 351 N.W. North St., Chehalis, WA 98532.
  • Via email at committees@lewiscountywa.gov (include the committee name in the subject).
  • In person at the Commissioners’ Office in Room 210 of the Historic Courthouse at 351 N.W. North St. in Chehalis.

Applications for the BOCC-appointed positions are due by 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

Following is information about the various boards and committees (including details about how to apply for the Public Health & Social Services [PHSS] Advisory Board and Boundary Review Board):

Civil Service Commission

The citizens who serve on the Lewis County Civil Service Commission work closely with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office to help ensure hirings, promotions and appointments are fair and unbiased. Members of the three-member commission meet at 11:30 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month at the Lewis County Sheriff's Office Training Room at 345 W. Main Street in Chehalis. Their services include assisting in determining the annual budget, test applicants to determine their relative qualifications for employment and hearing appeals or complaints regarding Civil Service examinations, etc.

Civil Service Commission members are appointed by the BOCC and serve three-year terms. To be considered, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States who is registered to vote and who has been a Lewis County resident for at least two years prior appointment.

East Lewis County Public Development Authority (ELCPDA)

The BOCC created the ELCPDA in May 1996 to promote small business and light industrial development in eastern Lewis County.

The ELCPDA is a five-member board that oversees and operates the Packwood Business Park, leasing its buildings there to various tenants. The ELCPDA handles the leases and the group’s finances. Members serve three-year terms.

Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) Advisory Council

The Lewis-Mason-Thurston Area Agency on Aging (LMTAAA) Advisory Council is sponsored by its three member counties (Lewis, Mason and Thurston) to manage, monitor, plan, fund, coordinate and advocate for services and programs that serve the elderly and younger disabled persons.

The LMTAAA Advisory Council meets from 9:30 a.m. to noon the first Wednesday of each month at the AAA office in Olympia. Members are assigned to committees that cover topics such as health promotion, small-project support and public information. Members are not paid, but LMTAAA offers mileage reimbursements to offset the cost of attending meetings. Appointees can serve up to three consecutive two-year terms, and applicants are asked to send their applications in duplicate to the BOCC (committees@lewiscountywa.gov) and the LMTAAA (chrissy.franklin@dshs.wa.gov).

Additional details about the group can be found at https://www.lmtaaa.org/advisory-council.

Southwest Washington Fair Advisory Board

The Southwest Washington Fair Advisory Board is the group that helps shape decisions about the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds. This position would be the perfect fit for fair aficionados who swoon over the thought of rodeos and demolition derbies. Members meet at the Fairgrounds at
5 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, and they’re already counting down the days to the Aug. 12 launch of the 2025 fair.

Veterans Advisory Board (VAB)

The Veterans Advisory Board (VAB) helps determine how to best support local veterans. Members weigh in on how the county should allocate money from its Veterans’ Relief Fund, which helps indigent Lewis County veterans and their families with financial resources, shelter, food, utilities and transportation.

The group meets at 11 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month in the Lower Level BOCC Room of the Lewis County Historic Courthouse at 351 N.W. North Street in Chehalis.

Public Health & Social Services (PHSS) Advisory Board – Board of Health-appointed position

The eleven-member Public Health & Social Services (PHSS) board focuses on providing recommendations to the Board of Health (BOH) regarding a variety of community health, environmental health and social service issues.

The BOH is seeking a volunteer to fill a vacancy in the Medical Provider sector. Individuals interested in the PHSS Advisory Board position should download an application (available online at https://lewiscountywa.gov/departments/public-health) and then email the completed form to the BOH at BOH@lewiscountywa.gov.

Boundary Review Board (BRB) – governor-appointed position

The Boundary Review Board (BRB) is a five-member quasi-judicial administrative body that reviews proposals for boundary changes by cities, towns and special-purpose districts (such as fire districts) within Lewis County, including city or district annexations. The actions that most commonly come before the BRB are annexations.

The BRB’s vacancy is one that is filled by the governor. To apply for the position, visit the governor’s website at https://governor.wa.gov/boards-and-commissions/boards-commissions/apply-serve.

Posted: January 30, 2025