Timber revenue estimates adjusted

As Wahkiakum County officials suspected, they won't receive as much revenue from state managed timber sales as they were informed last week.

Department of Natural Resources Manager Marcus Johns and Forester Collin Robertson reported March 24 that the county could expect to receive $1.2 million in timber revenue this year, but after county Treasurer Paula Holloway questioned their figures, they said they would go back to their office and double check.

At the end of the week, Johns reported to Holloway that estimated revenue for 2009 would be $60,000 lower than predicted last week.

The revised revenue prediction from the Nagasawa Pass sale would be $1.22 million, down from $1.26 million reported earlier. The revised revenue from the North Fork Mill Creek sale would be $101,251, down from $105,962, and the revised revenue for the Jibber Jabber sale would be $2,150.90, down from $22,796.

Further, Johns had estimated 2010 revenue from the Dark Roast sale at $1.1 million, but the county's share of the sale will be closer to $886,590.

The DNR manages the county's 12,900 acres of trust timberland, and harvest of timber is an important revenue for the county's Current Expense Fund, which finances most courthouse services. County officials would like timber revenues to be closer to $2 million annually to operate their programs.

County officials will take up the discussion of revenue and possible budget and program adjustments when they have a finance meeting later in April.