WDFW's fish decisions just don't make sense
To The Eagle:
Unfortunately, I was not aware of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife meeting at the Rosburg Hall in early August. I definitely would have expressed my disgust, disbelief, disappointment, disagreement and a few other words to describe my feelings on the subject of another planned fish kill on the Grays River.
Was this not done before with terrible consequences? I am totally baffled that past mistakes can be made better by killing the fish they themselves have been helping to live in the river. I understood that the carcasses of dying spawned salmon helped feed the river. How is selling the lucrative roe and donating the carcass to the food bank going to help our river?
I would encourage anyone opposed to this to sign one of the petitions opposing this; then we will see how dictatorial our tax paid entities are over the will of the people closest to the situation.
Is the Elochoman River next on the list?
Why isn't there a full blown open fishery on the Grays River so all could benefit, not just outside government, including NOAA who are pushing their mighty tax spending?
The mighty dollar is talking through our taxes to keep spending on more insane practices that change with a new plan every few years. Let us voice our concern and feelings on this and soon!

Poul K. Toftemark
Rosburg

Informational meetings would help understanding of property assessment procedures
To the Eagle:
I am writing in response to the Wahkiakum County Assessor’s letter of two weeks ago. First I’d like to agree with Ms. Zerr’s statement that “there is a serious lack of understanding as how property taxes are assessed in the county.” If your readers will recall, I wrote a letter that appeared in this paper on 7/3/2008, in which I called for the assessor to hold an informational meeting. Here is part of that letter:
“I think that an informational meeting would be very beneficial. The chief deputy assessor, Mike Funderburg, could present the sales studies and trend analysis that he used to develop the new assessed values for properties located in the Town of Cathlamet and the eastern portion of the county. I suggest that those who would be interested in attending such a meeting contact the assessor at 795-3791 and encourage her to hold a meeting soon.”
If the assessor is truly concerned about taxpayer education I again suggest that she hold a meeting to explain the intricacies of property valuation, tax assessment, levy calculation and tax equalization. While I don’t believe that there is much cost associated with holding such a meeting, I know that there is money in the assessor’s budget for taxpayer education. This is current expense money that might have been dedicated for other uses. The commissioners obviously thought that taxpayer education was important when they allocated these funds to the assessor. I hope that she takes steps to educate us as taxpayers now that she recognizes our “lack of understanding.”
Now I’d like to address the balance of Ms. Zerr’s letter. She is being quite disingenuous, although correct, when she points out that Washington has a budget based system of property taxes. On Puget Island, Fire District One requires only so much money to operate, lets say $250,000. If the Island’s total value is $25,000,000 or $50,000,000 the fire district still only gets $250,000 in taxes.
But as anyone who has received some of the ludicrous property valuations coming out of the assessor’s office knows, their overall tax bill increases. Why? Because Wahkiakum County’s value relative to the overall value of the State of Washington has increased. Let’s say that our tiny county accounted for 0.1 percent of the value of the state back in 2004. Now in 2008 our assessor has had the opportunity to overvalue all of our county, and our portion of the state’s total value has doubled to 0.2 percent. Thus we are now paying twice the tax to the state.
While I certainly know that property values in Wahkiakum county have appreciated in the last four years, I also know that they have not doubled or tripled as some valuations that I have seen would suggest. I wish that there was more balance in the assessor’s office when it comes to property valuations.
While she was campaigning, Ms. Zerr promised to become certified by the Washington Department of Revenue as a property appraiser once she was elected. During the candidate’s forum I asked her about her efforts to fulfill this campaign promise. She stated that she has taken some classes but cited a lack of time and money to achieve certification. I believe that she could have become certified within a month or two of her election at minimal cost.

Bill Coons
Puget Island

Former resident seeks news of family
To The Eagle:
My name is Don Burkebile. My father owned and operated the Columbia River Sun which is now your paper.
He sold the paper in 1930 or 1931. I was born in Cathlamet in 1921, I graduated from high school in 1939.
My reason for writing is that I would like to contact anyone who may have known the Burkebile family. If you would put a notice in your paper to that effect I would be more than happy.

Don Burkebile
Elkton, Fla.

Trudy said it well
To The Eagle:
I say bravo! And ditto! I so agree with Trudy Fredrickson on our Grays River and the fish, etc. Thank you, Trudy, you said it well.

Sue Mitchell
Grays River

Reader appreciates diligence of Eagle staff
To The Eagle:
So often we take people and things for granted, until they are taken away. When the power goes off for a while or the phones stop working, we suddenly realize how much we depend on them, and how often they will always be available for our use and enjoyment. When someone we know or know about, care for, and love is taken away, either by a move or by death, we realize how much we took for granted that they would always be here.
It occurred to me as I read the little information box at the top of the second page that the same holds true for this newspaper and the people who make it happen. So I would like to thank Rick and Lois Nelson, Geri Florek, Caroline Jennings and Sunny Manary for all your time, effort, thought and work that you do each and every week, month after month, year after year, creating The Wahkiakum County Eagle for our pleasure, enjoyment and information dispersal.
I appreciate your diligence, perseverance, dedication, and creativity in producing this fine local newspaper on a steady consistent basis, helping our community stay in touch with the community.
I appreciate each of you sincerely.

Victoria Block
Cathlamet