County may ask for special levy for clinic

How much, if anything, are you willing to pay in property tax to support the Wahkiakum Family Practice Medical Clinic?

That's a question Wahkiakum County officials are preparing to ask voters some time this year.

The county purchased the clinic just over two years ago from PeaceHealth, and officials projected a slight deficit.

However, this year the projected deficit is expected to top $250,000, and the clinic already has an outstanding $185,000 loan from the county.

Overall, county revenues will be down significantly this year because of a drop in revenue from county trust timber land.

Officials seemed to agree Tuesday that the best approach would be to seek voter approval of a measure to lift the county levy lid. That would provide funds next year, they said.

In the meantime, it was suggested that the clinic hire another advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP); clinic business manager Kathy Patterson has projected this staff member could generate as much as $284,000 revenue (see related story in this edition of The Eagle).

However, recruiting and hiring this person could take six months or more.

Assessor Sulema Zerr said there are several different ways a special levy could be presented.

A levy of 58 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value would raise about $60,000 a year.

Such an assessment would cost a taxpayer $115 a year for a $100,000 property, $232 for a $400,000 property, officials said.

Auditor Diane Tischer said a special levy could be on the ballot May 5 or on the primary or general elections.

The officials felt the May 5 date would be too soon to present the issue to voters, so the issue likely will appear on the primary election ballot.

"I want to know what the voters say right away so that if it doesn't go, we can ramp down right away," said Commissioner George Trott.

Commissioners said they would discuss the situation with constituents when they hold public forums next month.

All officials agreed they would need to prepare and present information to explain what has occurred.

"We're going to have to know why we were so far off," said Treasurer Paula Holloway.

"It's mind boggling that we can lose that amount of money," said Commissioner Dan Cothren.

"We want to apply a capitalistic model to a non-capitalistic industry," commented Commissioner Tom Doumit.

The Wahkiakum Community Foundation will be able to help in some areas, said Executive Director Karen Bertroch.

The foundation already has a medical fund which has raised money for a new blood machine and scales at the clinic. People and estates can make donations to that fund.

If additional space is needed for a new ARNP, she could write grant applications, and grants for facilities and equipment are much easier to find than grants for personnel, she said.

She also recommended forming an advisory committee to write a strategic plan for the long term clinic operation.

The officials, meeting as the treasurer's finance committee, will meet next Tuesday, 8:30 a.m., before the commissioners' regular meeting to continue planning how to address the issue.

"We need to meet and see how to float this this year," Trott said.