Meet your candidates week 2

The Eagle presents a series of questions to candidates running for various local government positions in Wahkiakum County and Cathlamet. Each candidate responds to one question per week, with responses limited to 200 words. The Eagle is proud to provide this opportunity for the community to hear directly from those seeking office and remains committed to presenting all candidates’ views impartially and fairly. In the spirit of fairness to all candidates involved, there have been no alterations to any of their responses. These responses are presented exactly the way they were submitted to The Eagle.

Sheriff candidate question 2:

What do you see as the biggest public safety challenges in Wahkiakum County right now?

Josh Grasseth

One of the most pressing public safety challenges currently facing Wahkiakum County is the severe staffing shortage within the Sheriff’s Office, compounded by significant budget constraints. Operating with fewer deputies than needed makes it increasingly difficult to provide the level of service our residents expect and deserve.

We are also seeing a troubling trend: fully certified deputies are leaving for the Washington State Patrol, which now offers a lateral program with higher salaries, better benefits, and more predictable work schedules. In contrast, our understaffed conditions require deputies to work longer hours with fewer days off—heightening the risk of burnout and reducing job satisfaction.

Retaining our trained deputies is critical. The knowledge, experience, and community relationships they build over time are invaluable. Every time we lose a deputy, we’re not just losing an employee—we’re starting over, which can erode public trust and diminish the effectiveness of our public safety services.

To address these challenges, Wahkiakum County must actively pursue alternative funding sources. While grants are not guaranteed, the more we apply and the more strategic we are in identifying opportunities, the greater our chances of securing additional resources to support staffing and operations.

John Mason

Maintaining staffing levels has been one of the biggest challenges for our Sheriff’s Office. As one of the most underpaid law enforcement agencies in the state it is difficult to retain officers for an entire career. I have seen the transfer of nine officers that left for better pay to support their family, to be closer to their hometowns, and/or to experience a faster paced jurisdiction.

Addressing this has always been difficult, especially now given the budgetary crisis the County faced this year, and the uncertain financial future. What has thankfully helped attract new and experienced applicants over the years is the beauty of this rural county and our genuine sense of community. Thank you all for keeping it this way, and for the great support you have shown!

One of the biggest challenges that I see to our safety overall is our community preparedness. We will most likely receive less State and Federal resources should a large-scale disaster impact on our county. This is why one of my main goals is to increase our preparedness through public education and to empower us as a community to make sure we can take care of each other during challenging times.

County Assessor candidate question 2:

How will you make sure property values are fair and consistent across the county?

Nicholas Sevald

I want our town's people to be able to engage as much as possible with the mayor and the council. I plan to open many avenues for that. A suggestion box at town hall, regular meetings with the mayor at local businesses, and even a larger social media presence are some very easy and quick solutions that can be implemented on day one. The most important thing however would be consistency. It's not enough to simply post social media updates and respond when convenient, I aim to regularly check-in both online and in-person to make sure that concerns and ideas are being heard and presented to council. Trust and engagement are lost when communication is not regular, available, and reciprocated.

Laurel Waller

Ensuring Open, Honest Decision-Making in Cathlamet

As mayor, my role is to facilitate—not control—decision-making. In Cathlamet, the town council makes all official decisions during public meetings, guided by Washington law and the local municipal code. My job is to support transparency, ensure the process is accessible, and assist the council while facilitating those meetings.

Transparency means more than open doors—it means clear, complete information, respectful dialogue, and meaningful public involvement. Council members cannot, by law, discuss town decisions with each other outside of meetings, so those meetings must be structured to allow real discussion and public input. I will work with the council to define alternative ways to respond to public comments.

Representing the citizens doesn’t always mean doing what’s popular in the moment. It means listening with intent, analyzing impacts, and making decisions that serve the town’s well-being. During the utility consolidation project, for example, council members waited for feasibility data before voting—despite public pressure—because responsible governance requires informed choices.

I will campion for a Strategic Planning process with residents to define Cathlamet’s future. With that information, council decisions will become clearer and rooted in what the community truly values.

County Assessor candidate question 2:

How will you make sure property values are fair and consistent across the county?

Drew Jenkins

The key to accurate property values is having correct information. Changes to a property can either raise or lower the value. Open communication with owners is critical to accurate values. It also allows consideration of placing owners into programs that may ultimately lower their tax liability, such as the farm and agriculture, timberland, open spaces and senior/disabled exemption programs. That’s why discussions with owners are important when we visit a property or they come into our office.

The Assessor’s office conducts a physical inspection of all properties, including building exteriors, once every six years. Properties not inspected in a given assessment year are analyzed, and the values are updated through use of statistics based on annual market data. These “mass appraisals” use the same principles as an individual appraisal, but are applied to groups of properties, rather than an individual property. The mass appraisal model is tested by statistical analysis of sales as compared to assessed value of those sold properties.

Having the latest available software for valuation as well as consistent valuation standards practiced by everyone in the office would be the final component for accurate assessment if I am elected.

Justin Moriarty

"Fair and consistent property values begin with professionalism, data accuracy, and accountability.

As a Certified Real Property Appraiser with over 12 years of licensed, verifiable experience, I work under the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), the same federally recognized standards trusted by banks, courts, and government agencies nationwide. I’m the only candidate in this race legally qualified to make that claim and the only one with the credentials and commitment to ensure property values remain fair, accurate, and not overvalued. RCW 18.140.020(3).

Many of the public’s concerns about inconsistent assessments trace back to work completed during my opponent’s tenure. I’ve seen those issues firsthand in the Assessor’s Office and have already taken steps to correct them. My focus is on accuracy through verified market data, on-site inspections, and consistent application of valuation models across all property types.

Consistency means treating every taxpayer equally. Fairness means being transparent about how values are determined and responsive when property owners raise questions. My goal is to earn the public’s trust by ensuring every assessment is grounded in transparent, industry-standard practices and supported by verifiable data, not my opponent’s personal opinions, outdated approaches, or lack of professional qualifications."