County board okays commercial appraiser

By a 2-1 vote, Wahkiakum County commissioners approved measures to restore the position of commercial appraiser in the county assessor's office.

Assessor Bill Coons has been seeking the move for several months, and commissioners had so far rejected the request, saying they would consider it for the 2016 budget.

The department's deputy appraiser resigned last spring and moved away from the county.Coons, a certified residential appraiser, has hired Michael Daley, a former Department of Revenue appraiser who is certified as a commercial appraiser.

On Tuesday, Coons and Daley took the board through a Power Point presentation about the responsibilities of the assessor's office. The presentation emphasized the need for accurate appraisals for the benefit of the taxpayer and for accurate levies.

They also said duties of the office are increasingly technical.

"We can't do assessment the way we did five or 10 years ago," they said in the presentation.

Kay Cochran, former county assessor and now a real estate broker, supported Coons's request. "Taxpayers deserve fair and correct assessments," she said.

Nick Nikola, a member of the county Board of Equalization, supported the request. He added that he had paid for classes to have appraiser certification.

"It was an eye opener," he said. "I wouldn't attempt commercial appraisals. They are much more complicated than residentials.

"If it's not done right, it hurts the taxpayer and economic development."

To accomplish the proposal, commissioners needed to approve a memorandum of understanding with the county union to change the pay class for the commercial appraiser; they needed to allow Coons to move Daley into the commercial appraiser position, and they needed to allow shifting of funds in the assessor's budget to cover the increase in salary, estimated at $3,590.29, that would result.

"I am confident I can do this within my budget," Coons said. "If not, I will reach into my own pocket to pay the difference."

Commissioner Dan Cothren moved to approve the request. Commissioner Blair Brady wouldn't second the motion, so the second came from board Chair Mike Backman.

"My only hangup is making it retroactive (to June 1)," Brady said. "I'm willing to go effective August 1."

"As long as you stay within your budget," Backman said. "It's your budget."

Cothren and Backman voted for the motion; Brady voted against it, and it passed.