The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Commissioners of Port District No. 2 adopted a balanced $638,955 budget for 2017 when they met Tuesday.

The port expects to start 2017 with a $500,000 balance on hand. They expect $203,300 in non-operating revenue (taxes and grants) and $435,655 in operating revenue (park fees, sand sales and so on).

They expect $39,250 in non-operating expense (interest and sales and leasehold taxes), $284,705 in salaries and other operating expenses, and $315,000 in capital projects.

They expect to end 2017 with $526,500 in cash on hand and investments.

One project comprises the bulk of the capital expenditure. The port will construct a building to house an office and a laundry, which will require a new septic drainfield.

The manager's salary is budgeted at $55,000, and employee wages are set at $47,920.

In new revenue, the port expects the laundry to generate around $80,000 and $25,000 from renting the park model cabin that now serves as the port's office. The port expects to collect $67,000 in property taxes in 2017.

Commissioners voted 2-1 to increase the levy the statutory maximum of 1 percent.

Commission Chair Lori Scott opposed the increase.

"I think it's fine to collect the tax as it is, but as we're operating in the black, I prefer not to increase the property tax levy," she said. "It's a sign of good neighbor relations not to increase the people's tax when you're operating in the black."

Commissioners Lee Tischer and Brian O'Connor, not wanting the district to fall behind in its taxing authority, disagreed, and they voted to increase the levy by $676.11.

Commissioners also adopted rate schedules for 2017; the only changes were slight increases in camping fees for County Line Park.