County board handles varied issues

Wahkiakum County commissioners handled a variety of business Tuesday ranging from dealing with a department head's mistake to considering a new junior taxing district.

Commissioners Blair Brady, Lisa Marsyla and Dan Cothren met with Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow to discuss how to deal with a department head's mistake in giving employees time off.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen informed the commission that he had misunderstood the board's decision on what holiday time employees would have before Christmas and gave employees in his department an extra day of leave. He offered to cover the expense by giving up some of his personal vacation leave. Ringen did stay in the office and kept it open.

Commissioners Marsyla and Cothren wondered if other employees would feel they'd been treated fairly. If the extra day were extended to other employees, they said, the county would be paying overtime and other benefits under the union contract.

Bigelow commented that the union contract defines the work week, and the county would likely prevail any grievances. The situation could stand as a time when the commissioners might discipline their employee, the department head, he said.

In the end, the commissioners agreed they would let the situation stand for the department employees and meet in a closed session with the department head, Ringen, for possible discipline.

Commissioners voted 2-1 for Marsyla to chair the board in 2011.

Marsyla nominated Cothren for the position, but no one seconded the motion.

Cothren nominated Marsyla; Brady seconded the motion, and it passed 2-1.

Brady suggested the board might want to propose to western Wahkiakum residents that they petition to form a park and recreation district to support the Johnson Park activities.

"I want to see if there is interest in forming a park and recreation district," Brady said. "It could potentially raise $30-$40,000 in revenue a year for the park."

Brady said the idea is to create a funding source for the old school buildings which comprise the park's centerpiece.

"I think we're rapidly approaching the point where everything is going away, and people have to step up and pay for what they want," he said.

In other business, commissioners:

--Adopted a resolution supplementing the county's 2010 budgets.

--Authorized Public Works Director to amend a contract with the Washington Emergency Management Division for compnsation to the road fund for damages sustained in 2009 weather disasters. Ringen said the state has been delayed by other disasters and personnel changes in completing the compensation program, which should yield $35,000.

--Authorized Ringen to contract with the Washington Department of Transportation bridge repair crew to repair the East Valley Road bridge over Wilson Creek. Ringen said the state crew could do the work in much less time and expense than the county could by engaging design engineers and a contractor. The bridge was found to be damaged by floods and is reduced to one-lane traffic.