County officials review finances to start budgeting

Wahkiakum County officials started preparing for the process of developing budgets of 2010 this week.

The county finance committee--Treasurer Paula Holloway, Auditor Diane Tischer, and Commissioners Blair Brady, Dan Cothren and Lisa Marsyla, met Tuesday to examine where the county stands this year and what might be ahead.

Holloway, Tischer and housing and permitting director Chuck Beyer used the meeting as an opportunity lobby for funding for personnel to work part or full time in their offices.

With the budget cuts of two years ago, the departments have been short of staff, they said, and they are struggling to accomplish some tasks.

Holloway requested extra funding of $1000 per month for the rest of the year for a part-time person to help prepare a foreclosure that should generate much more revenue than the cost of the employee. Without the employee, the department's deputy can't take vacation to which she is entitled, Holloway said.

The commissioners approved the request for this year.

Overall, the county's budgets are holding close to predictions, Holloway said.

Revenues are flat, and there is a possibility that the state's continuing budget woes will lead to further funding cuts next year, Brady said.

Commissioners noted that the county has borrowed from reserves and transferred money from the County Road Fund Levy to cover Current Expense Revenue for 2010. That can continue a couple more years, Brady said, but officials won't want to spend too much out of the funds.

Officials hope to update their Capital Improvement Plan soon, said Commissioner Marsyla. The fund can be used to construct or maintain infrastructure, but the money needs to go to identified projects.

Marsyla is leading a group that is developing a process for identifying projects; when that process is ready, officials will seek comment to identify projects for the plan.

The group asked Tischer to prepare a letter to department head to start the budget process.

Brady said the department heads should keep expenditures at last year's levels.