Commissioners cut weed program

Wahkiakum County commissioners voted last Thursday to cut some county services and hold an advisory election on future operation of the Wahkiakum Family Practice Clinic.

The county-owned clinic is expected to have a $250,000 shortfall this year. Months ago, commissioners and clinic managers agreed to split the difference in making up the deficit.

On Thursday, the board and county department heads agreed to make their savings by:

—Eliminating the Noxious Weed Control Program, an estimated $38,000 savings;

—Reducing the appropriation to the Wahkiakum County Fair $10,000;

—Eliminating the free dump pass, an estimated $22,000 savings, and

—Increasing the expected revenues from Private Forest Excise Tax by $50,000. Officials said private logging companies are harvesting timber faster than expected and thereby generating higher revenue than expected last fall.

In making the cuts, the board and Bill Coons, president of the Wahkiakum County Fair Board settled on a $23,000 annual salary for a full-time fair manager.

At an earlier meeting, the board had cut the salary to $11,500 for six months. Coons offered the position to an applicant for the position, but she wanted to negotiate further for a 12-month contract.

Coons suggested the commissioners cut the county appropriation for extra help by $10,000 and leave the manager’s salary at $23,000. That should allow the board to hire the manager they want. He added that the candidate has experience in promoting events and should be able to meet the goal of having more events on the fairgrounds during the year, thereby generating more revenue.

After discussion, Commissioners George Trott, Dan Cothren and Tom Doumit approved the proposal.

The board met in executive session at their Tuesday meeting to hammer out details of the position, and later that day Trott, board chair, was to contact the candidate.

Commissioners have been meeting with clinic managers to discuss steps to be taken there to reduce expenses.

Clinic managers are also trying to find ways to generate more revenue.

The commissioners also agreed last Thursday to hold an advisory ballot on forming a public hospital district.

That proposition will go on the primary election ballot. The primary will be held in August under changes in state law that moved it ahead from its regular date of the third Tuesday in September.

Commissioners hope the proposition will show whether or not the public would support creating a hospital district to manage the clinic. The district would levy a tax up to 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

If the vote supports the proposition, another proposition to form the district will appear on the general election ballot. That measure would set the tax levy and also have election for an initial board of directors for the hospital district.