Citizens: Give Extension a 2nd chance

Three dozen Wahkiakum County residents or friends of Washington State University Cooperative Extension filled the county commissioners’ meeting room Tuesday to ask the board to reconsider axing Wahkiakum Extension from the 2008 budget.

The program is too valuable to cut, supporters said.

The bottom line is that the county doesn’t have enough money, commissioners responded.

The board did, however, agree to give Extension personnel the opportunity to explore other funding sources and make a proposal before the board’s December 3 budget hearing.

Jennifer Leach, county Extension program chair, said the board’s decision to cut Extension entirely left her speechless. She had attended department head meetings with others and across the board cuts of 5 to 10 percent had been discussed.

She and other Extension personnel wanted to try to develop a proposal that would keep the programs at least partially operational.

Many people spoke in support of Extension and the 4-H Youth Program.

Several spoke of the revitalization of small and specialty farms that is occurring with the support and coordination of Extension staff.

These are creating an economic benefit for the community and for the county, they said, and support should continue.

Those speaking in support of 4-H emphasized its positive impacts on youth.

Commissioners Dan Cothren, George Trott and Tom Doumit said making the cuts to Extension and other programs isn’t easy, but cuts are necessary.

“Money is the bottom line of this whole thing,” Cothren said. “I’ve told you people that this was coming. I’ve been telling it for a long time.”

Commissioners have calculated that the Current Expense Fund faces a revenue shortfall of $330,000 in 2008, making cuts necessary. Besides Extension, funding to St. James Family Center has been cut, and many offices are facing reductions in force.

The board said they dropped the concept of cuts across the board because they would have severely impacted small offices such as the assessor and treasurer.

“Realistically, we’re trying to balance this budget,” Trott said. “We have to look at the here and now.”

Members of the audience suggested or asked about other possible reductions or revenue sources:

—Some suggested funding for the Lower Columbia Economic Development Council be transferred to Extension, which also conducts economic development activities.

Commissioners responded that the funds for the LCEDC come from a specific tax which is earmarked for economic development or capital projects and probably couldn’t go to extension.

—Others suggested that travel expenses could be cut and the board could forego raises.

Commissioners responded they spend only $4,000 a year on travel, and travel budgets for all departments have been severely curtailed for several years.

Trott acknowledged that he had recently been to Georgia, but that trip was for work on the statewide county insurance pool, and the insurance pool paid the expense.

Commissioners also said that although their pay is set by a salary commission, they refused raises last year and wouldn’t be taking them next year.

—Thea Pyle asked why the board hadn’t collected a county sales tax as allowed by law. Trott said that hadn’t been pursued because the proceeds would be small; Doumit thought the tax might generate only $12,000 a year.

—One person asked about the possibility of using road department funds for Current Expense; commissioners responded that road taxes are dedicated by law to road department activities and can’t be transferred.

—Others asked about the status and use of county reserves.

Doumit said he calculated reserves stood at $5.5 to $6 million, and they are earmarked for specific activities. Those that can be used for Current Expense are very low.

Trott added that the county’s property tax for Current Expense basically covers one month’s payroll. The county has to find other revenue sources to cover other months, and reserves are used to finance payments while the county waits for revenues to arrive.

—People questioned county operation of the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic. Commissioners said they expect the clinic to have a $250,000 revenue shortfall next year. However, an advisory committee is working a business plan that could change that projection.

The discussion ended with Dan Turner, a farmer in Skamokawa’s Middle Valley, calling on the commissioners to provide more leadership.

The perception in the public is that the board’s policies are “knee jerk reaction,” he said.

“What we want and need as citizens is leadership,” he said, “not knee jerk reactions.”

Later in the Tuesday meeting, the board passed a resolution setting the schedule for finalizing the budget process.

Preliminary budgets are expected to be published November 19.

The final budget hearing will start at 1:30 p.m. on December 3.

Commissioners and other county officials will attend a meeting of the Washington Association of Counties next week, and the board cancelled its meeting set for November 13.