Board handles taxes, software

Wahkiakum County commissioners worked on 2011 tax levies and handled other business at their meeting Tuesday.

Commissioners needed to certify the 2011 levies that day, officials said.

Commissioners said they intended to approve the levies with no increase. The actual collections will increase with the addition of new construction and improvement to property, and from increases in value of state-assessed property.

Proposed collections were:

--Current Expense Fund, $457,722;

--Emergency Medical Services, $114,381, and

--County Road Fund, $515,122.

Assessor-elect Bill Coons reported that representatives of the state Department of Revenue will meet soon with the county Board of Equalization to go over appeals from Puget Island residents.

Coons said he had conducted a ratio study of Island property and concluded assessments there are at least 10 percent too high.

If the Department of Revenue makes a similar conclusion in its meeting with the Board of Equalization, some or all assessments could be lowered, he said.

The board approved a request from Public Works Director Pete Ringen to have the county road crew conduct a construction project on the Elochoman Valley Road next year.

Ringen said the road crew has been doing maintenance work the past few years, with outside contractors handling construction projects.

However, with the board diverting $200,000 from the County Road Levy to cover a Current Expense Fund revenue shortfall, it will be cost effective to have the road crew do the construction. This will tie up staff time, Ringen said, but it will benefit the county financially, he said.

Commissioners approved the proposal and a change in the contract with the state County Road Administration Board, which is funding the bulk of the project.

Commissioners voted 2-1 to purchase a new software progam through an interlocal agreement with Pend d'Oreille County for $290,200.

The program will be used in the offices of the auditor and treasurer. The current software provider has said it will phase out the program at the end of 2011.

Commissioner Lisa Marsyla said she supported the program purchase overall, but she objected to not having a provision for holding a large sum from payment until the program is completely installed. She asked if the contract could be changed.

No, Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow said. The county is buying off Pend d'Oreille's bid call, and if there is a change, Wahkiakum would have to start over.