The move will save the county around $5K.
At the conclusion of its discussion of the proposed 2009 budget, the San Juan County Council voted to send a letter to the Salary Commission asking that it not give County Council members a cost of living adjustment for 2009.
Council Chair Howie Rosenfeld suggested the move saying, “It will send a positive message to the community and our staff.”
Rosenfeld said he had cleared the proposal with Council Members-Elect Richard Fralick and Lovel Pratt, who will be joining the council in February.
The vote was 4-0 in favor with council members Alan Lichter and Gene Knapp absent.
The San Juan County Citizens Salary Commission sets salaries for elected County officials whose compensation is not established by the state. Last year it gave council members a 3 percent cost of living increase.
County Auditor Milene Henley said eliminating the COLA for the council would save $4623.49.
“That just about covers the $5,000 for lobbying and travel,” Rosenfeld said.
The preliminary budget proposal presented to the council by the county administrator did not include funds for lobbying.
The council voted separately to send a letter to other elected officials asking them to also consider foregoing cost of living increases.
Weed tax hike fails,
for now
For two years, the San Juan County Noxious Weed Control Board has been busy making a case for a boost in its parcel fee and why its current $5 fee can no longer foot the bill.
But last week, the numbers just didn’t add up.
On Nov. 18, the County Council voted 3-2 in favor of raising the annual parcel fee beginning next year. But four votes are needed for approval of any measure that comes before the council.
Councilman Alan Lichter, an advocate of the increase, was absent from last week’s council meeting and did not vote. The council could bring it back for a vote before it sets next year’s county budget.
Weed Board Chairwoman Amanda Azous is keeping her fingers crossed. She said the program, though popular and well-received, would be trimmed back “significantly” unless the council changes course.
“Some of the things that would suffer are training, certification updates for our employees, fewer site visits and less time to help Public Works,” Azous said. “The citizens of the county are used to a higher level of service, but without additional funding they won’t get that.”
Counties are required by the state to either combat, control or eradicate noxious weeds, depending on the threat of a particular weed.
Those on the A list, like giant hogweed, purple starthistle and two types of knapweed, are required to be eradicated, while Class B types, such as scotch broom and tansy ragwort, must be contained.
Though a requirement, Azous notes the state leaves it up to counties to finance local programs of prevention and control.
“You could call it one of those un-funded mandates,” she said.
Enacted six years ago, the annual $5 fee (or slightly more for parcels of 50 acres or more) generated $73,000 in its inaugural year. A year ago, it produced $75,750 in revenue, a net increase of less than four percent over that 5-year period.
The increase, as proposed, would generate roughly $110,000 a year and keep the program fully-staffed and adequately funded through 2013.
Azous said 64 percent of all property owners would still pay less than $12.16 a year, and that 84 percent, including those in Friday Harbor, would pay less than $16.21.
Councilmen Gene Knapp, Orcas East, and Rich Peterson, San Juan North, voted against the proposal.
Knapp, though supportive of the program, cited the economic downturn and the job cuts the council must make to balance next year’s budget in voting against the increase.
“This would be asking the public to increase this department’s budget by $110,000,” Knapp said. “I can’t bring myself to put weeds ahead of people. I would support this in better times, but not now.”
Peterson added that the council may find it necessary to ask voters for a property tax increase just to keep the county afloat. Such a request, he said, could fall flat if the council imposes such a fee at a time when islanders are struggling.
Councilmen Howie Rosenfeld, Friday Harbor, Bob Myhr, Lopez/Shaw, and Kevin Ranker, San Juan South, supported the increase.
– Scott Rasmussen
