Officials study county's 2009revenue forecast

Despite the worsening economic situation in the state and nation, Wahkiakum County government is in a good position for 2009, officials said Tuesday at the county's first finance committee meeting of the year.

Counties and other local government entities are facing funding cuts from state and federal sources, the officials said, and many counties are starting to make program and staff cuts to deal with those cuts.

Wahkiakum commissioners ordered staff cuts last fall, and that move has paid off, said Treasurer Paula Holloway.

At this point, the county has sufficient funds to cover expenses.

The county received an unexpected $122,835 payment from the Department of Natural Resources a small, unanticipated timber sale, she said.

The county should receive another $1.2 million in revenue from state managed timber, said commission Chair Dan Cothren, because the contract on the $1.2 million Nagasawa Pass sale ends this year.

The outlook for other revenues is bleak, Holloway said. She has $6.8 million in residual cash flow that can be invested, and it is earning interest at rates ranging from 0.12 percent to 2.81 percent.

Cothren reported that legislators have entered a bill the county would like to have: It would establish a process to compensate the county for the trust timber land which the DNR has locked up for endangered species habitat.

Cothren said counties and the DNR still haven't agreed on all terms, and those should be negotiated soon so that the bill can have a chance of passing in this legislative session.

New Commissioner Lisa Marsyla suggested officials mount a public awareness campaign to inform the public of revenue shortfalls and the need for cutting expenses. The officials could hold meetings to explain the dilemma and determine the public's priorities.

"We can't have it all, so what are they willing to pay for," she said.

In other business, Public Works Director Pete Ringen reported that as it stands, the governor's current declaration of disaster for December's snow may only cover two days' expenses. The limit comes from federal regulations for snow disasters, and can be extended 24 hours. This would just cover a small portion of the county's expenses, which now total $711,000, he said.

Local, state and federal officials are still studying damages and how expenses can be covered, he said.