Commissioners: Timber market up, planners appointed

An upswing in the timber market could mean an increase in revenue from state managed county trust timber land, county officials learned Tuesday.

In other business, commissioners filled two planning commission vacancies and rejected a District Court voucher for security guard training.

Marcus Johns, regional manager of the Department of Natural Resources, which manages the harvest of timber of county trust lands, said timber markets have improved and county timber sales will produce more revenue than forecast a few months ago.

Revenue from timber sales is an important part of the county budgets, especially services in the courthouse.

Douglas fir logs are now going for around $300 per 1,000 board feet, he said; a year ago, it was around $190 per thousand.

The county should receive $286,043 from the remainder of the Dark Roast Sale; Johns said. Another $916,747 should come from the Schraum Road Sale this year. The Elochoman Ridge Sale will go on the auction block on April 29, and although it expires in October 2011, the purchaser could very well try to log it this year to cash in on the rising market. The sale was estimated at $1.2 million last year when foresters put it together; now, the volume could bring $2 million, he said.

Commissioners had four candidates for two vacancies representing District 1, Cathlamet and Puget Island, on the planning commission.

They appointed Island residents Eugene Healy and Loren Jennings to the planning commission.

The commissioners thanked the four applicants and urged those not selected to look for other volunteer opportunities.

Commissioners pulled vouchers from District Court to pay for security training expenses of two retired law enforcement officers.

The men, retired Deputy Sheriff Hans York and retired Washington State Trooper Ron Spahman, had flown to a training, with travel, lodging and training fees totalling around $1,700.

The money would come from a grant for court security.

"This junket will use 100 hours of court security funds," said Commissioner Lisa Marsyla. "When the grant is over, these people will no longer be employed, and so why are we training them?"