Commissioners plan budget amendments

Wahkiakum County officials are planning to amend and supplement their 2013 budgets.

The county will receive this year an estimated $763,000 in unanticipated revenue from harvest of timber off state managed trust timber land, and officials need to find uses for that revenue, or it will go to the state.

Department heads on Tuesday reviewed their needs and requests for budget supplements. They included:

--Sheriff's office: $15,600 for a new four-wheel drive patrol pickup and $49,000 to cover the salary of a deputy for the end of 2013.

The deputy's position had been covered by state drug enforcement funds, but the legislature cut them from the budget, so the position is now unfunded.

Sheriff Mark Howie requested the four-wheel drive vehicle to replace a standard drive pickup that is wearing out and past the usual mileage limit for those vehicles. The department has accumulated some depreciation funds, but not enough to cover a purchase of a new vehicle, Howie said.

Commissioner Mike Backman suggested waiting one more year to replace the truck so that the depreciation funds could increase. However, Howie replied that the present vehicle is becoming unreliable and thus unsafe. Commissioner Dan Cothren supported the purchase, saying a four-wheel drive vehicle is needed for work in the winter.

--Superior Court Clerk: $4,500 for a part-time assistant clerk so staff can keep up with its workload and have sufficient staffing so that people can take vacations or attend training.

Clerk Kay Holland commented that the budgets of the clerk and Superior Court will be challenged this year because of expensive trials.

--Juvenile Court: $35,000 to cover expenses from a larger than expected case load and incarceration.

--County Fair: $10,000 to pay the manager's salary and $2,500 to cover maintenance and repairs.

--Cumulative Reserve for County Properties: $28,000 for implementation of new computer programs and training staff in the treasurer's and auditor's offices to use them.

--Treasurer: $12,000 for extra help so that staff can keep up with its workload and have sufficient staffing so that people can take vacations or attend training.

--Public works: $7,500 for the solid waste program, which has been hurt by expenses on the rise and a decline in revenue from recycling, and also $500 to remove a rotting tree at Buffington Park on Puget Island.

The proposals will be incorporated in a resolution which will be considered at an August meeting of the board of commissioners.