Benton County roundup: Virtual currency kiosk ban hearing, road safety project award on tap
Benton County commissioners have a full agenda for their July 21 meeting, including awarding a pedestrian safety project and ratifying a change order for Superior Court tenant improvements. Three recent county meetings — all with agendas published but minutes not yet available — covered a proposed ban on virtual currency kiosks, behavioral health updates, and multiple contract approvals.
July 21 — Board of Benton County Commissioners (upcoming)
The board will consider several items at its July 21 meeting:
- **Ratify Change Order No. 2** with ESF Development LLC for the Benton County Superior Court Tenant Improvement project.
- **Award the CE 154 Intersection Safety and Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements Project** to Allstar Construction Group, Inc.
- **Memorandum of Understanding** with Code Four Labs for a 60-day free trial of AI-assisted law-enforcement report writing tools.
- **Accept work and release retainage** for on-call plumbing maintenance by Trade Services Northwest, Inc. (dba Mr. Rooter Plumbing).
- **Purchase Agreement** with Cosco Fire Protection, Inc. for fire detection, suppression, and inspection services.
The meeting also addresses interagency grant agreements with the Washington State Office of Public Defense and a historic preservation grant with Washington State University.
July 14 — Board of Benton County Commissioners
The agenda included a public hearing for Short Plat Vacation SPV 2026-003 (Wilson ~ D Hooper) and several contract items:
- Second Amendment to the contract with Mackay Sposito, LLC for the Two-Rivers Park Boardwalk Project.
- Awarding the 2026 Backup Generator Service and Repair Contract to Legacy Telecommunications LLC.
- Change Order #5 with Fowler General Construction, Inc. for the Fairgrounds Arena Upgrade Project.
- Approval of construction plans for Calico Road and Golden Eagle Circle for Eagle Butte Subdivision.
Minutes have not yet been published, so outcomes of these items are not confirmed.
July 9 — Benton-Franklin Behavioral Health Advisory Committee
The committee was scheduled to approve minutes from its June 11, 2026 meeting and receive presentations from Lutheran Community Services and the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery. The Columbia Valley Center for Recovery presentations covered three phases: Phase I updates, Phase II (Recovery Housing) updates, and Phase III (Youth Services) updates.
Minutes have not yet been published.
July 7 — Board of Benton County Commissioners
The agenda featured a public hearing on adding Title 20 to Benton County Code to prohibit virtual currency kiosks. Other items included:
- Contract with Apollo Solutions Group, LLC for the Courthouse HVAC Upgrades Project.
- Final Plat of Harvest Ridge Phase 1 (SUB 2026-002).
- Purchase of a Toyota Tacoma for the Road Department.
- Agreement with Attorney Tyler Ashby for District Court public defense services.
Minutes have not yet been published, so it is not confirmed which items were approved.
Coming up
- **July 21** — Board of Benton County Commissioners, 9:00 a.m. (agenda posted). Items include the CE 154 Intersection Safety and Pedestrian Crossing Enhancements Project award, the Superior Court tenant improvement change order, and a 60-day free trial of AI-assisted law-enforcement reporting tools.