Committee members reported an internal adjustment to a proposed wood-products manufacturing initiative and discussed using freed funds to study modular housing production and the supply chain for structural insulated panels (SIPs) and similar components.

A staff speaker said the county is "adjusting ... a plywood manufacturing site project down to just a veneer site, which frees up $350,000," and that the committee intends to hire an industry expert to conduct a deep-dive feasibility study on creating modular housing production locally. The speaker described the intended consultant as an experienced sawmill/CLT (cross-laminated timber) consultant who has advised large projects in Europe and North America and said the study would explore modular factory production using SIP panels that meet Washington state building and energy codes.

Committee discussion linked the proposed feasibility study to broader housing goals: reducing per-unit construction costs, building a local supply chain of panels and components, and pairing manufacturing with contractor training so local builders can install modular systems. The meeting referenced a Grays Harbor company producing SIP panels compatible with Washington code and suggested the county could pursue training programs alongside potential modular production.

No formal procurement or contract award was made at the meeting. Committee members asked staff to proceed with hiring an expert and to scope a feasibility study; they discussed potential next steps including identifying program partners for workforce training and tracking code compliance requirements for SIP-based modular construction.