County extends assessor overtime

Wahkiakum County commissioners on Tuesday authorized Assessor Bill Coons to extend clerical hours of his clerks to tackle a backlog of appeals and related issues.

Commissioners have authorized Coons to employ a temporary clerk and extend the hours of regular clerk Marsha Souvenir in an effort to handle the backlog.

Two weeks ago, he said, the office had been able to clear up 68 of 285 appeals, he said. Since then, they've been able to take care of another 20 appeals, he said.

Coons said progress was slowed by a new wave of appeals from Puget Island taxpayers.

By extending clerical hours, Coons said, he could "make a full court press" in the effort to get the tax rolls corrected.

The expense would total $1369 for Souvenir and $1215 for the temporary clerk, whose employment will end April 30. The expense would be covered by transfers from other lines in the assessor's budget.

Souvenir commented that the extra hours have had a positive impact.

"We want to focus on things that will benefit the greatest number of taxpayers," she said.

Commissioners approved the request to extend the hours to the limits that Coons had described.

In other business:

--Two persons applied to fill a vacancy representing District 2 on the county Real Property Rights Advisory Board. They are Debi Harlin and Douglas Silver.

Commissioners voted to allow them to join the board and also to ask the board for a recommendation on whom to add to its membership.

--The board passed a resolution setting an emergency 5-ton weight limit on the upper portion of East Valley Road.

Public Works Director Pete Ringen said Wilson Creek has started eroding the road bed at milepost 6.56. Extensive damage occurred in January, and more has occurred because of storms since then.

Ringen estimates the road could be repaired for $40,000, and that the expense would be covered under a federal disaster declaration.