Commissioners OK training vouchers, hear complaint

Wahkiakum County commissioners approved extra help for the treasure and travel and training expense vouchers for District Court when they met Tuesday.

Treasurer Paula Holloway requested an additional $2,000 for her extra help budget line. Commissioners had approved a $1,000 appropriation several weeks ago, but that has been used for tax collection work, she said. She still needs extra help to finish tax work and converting to a new computer program, she said.

Commissioners Dan Cothren and Blair Brady--Lisa Marsyla was absent--approved the request and said funds could come out of the Cumulative Reserve for Capital Projects, which the treasure administers.

The board approved vouchers it had held for two weeks for District Court. The vouchers were for travel and training for two retired law enforcement officers hired to provide security for District and Superior Courts. The expense would be covered by a grant which expires at the end of June.

Commissioners had contacted grant administrators this past week and learned that the grant funds couldn't be carried over and could be lost if not used for training. They voted 2-0 for the expense.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen suggested the county contact federal representatives to encourage action by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to approve fundings for repair of East Valley Road.

Flooding caused a portion of the road to settle in January, 2009, he said, and FEMA approved $129,000 for repairs, Ringen said.

However, Ringen felt the situation called for a geo-technical evaluation so that the same problem doesn't occur in the next freshet. He said FEMA officials told him the county could delay the project while it hired a consulting engineer, who would contract for the geotechnical evaluation, and a new project cost could be prepared. The project is now estimated to cost over $900,000.

Now, however, Ringen said, FEMA wants to stick by the old estimate. He filed an appeal last fall, but FEMA has yet to act on the appeal.

"Unless funding is released very soon, we may not be successful in completing the project this year," he said.

The commissioners authorized him to contact the congressional delegations for support and said they would use their contacts, too.

Grays River resident Philip Zerr asked the commissioners to intervene with the Grays River Enhancement District and a bill for surveying.

Zerr said the district paid $2,600 for surveying for private property owners. He called the expense frivolous.

Cothren and Brady suggested Zerr take the matter to the county or state auditor or the prosecuting attorney. Cothren added he would take the matter up with the prosecutor to see what could be done.