The Courthouse Journal A Joint Publication of the Washington State Association of Counties & Washington Association of County Officials April 28, 2000 Number 3 IT'S OFFICIAL!! WSAC HIRES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR After months of recruitment, interviews and ballots cast, Bettie Ingham, WSAC President, announces the results of the membership vote on the position of Executive Director. Bill Vogler has received the needed majority votes of support from the membership. Bill Vogler has been offered and has accepted the position of Executive Director of WSAC. "Bill is very energetic and is already making plans for an exciting WSAC future" states Ingham. The Board of Directors will be holding a retreat May 31 and June 1 in Yakima to set the course for the next five-year future of WSAC. Bill Vogler and Fred Saeger, WACO Director, as well as association staff will start courthouse visits soon. Please give Bill and Fred your ideas, dreams and concerns as they move throughout the state. Congratulations WSAC - you picked a winner!! ************************************** BETTIE INGHAM TO RETIRE AT END OF THIS TERM Bettie Ingham, WSAC President, last week announced that she will not seek a third term as Yakima County Commissioner. Bettie started working in the County Auditor's office in 1971 and was elected Auditor in 1983. She was appointed to take Graham Tollefson's (also a former WSAC President) commissioner position in 1992. Bettie said she wants to devote more time to her family and to find enough time to serve her community through involvement in Best Self, a summer youth program and other programs involving children, families and the elderly. Bettie's theme for WSAC's summer convention this year is "Building Healthy Communities", something she intends on doing in her retirement. Bettie will be missed by all of our members and the staff at both WSAC and WACO, whom she has served during her many years in county government. Bettie was active in WACO before and after she was elected Auditor and in WSAC during her eight years as commissioner. Few members have given more of themselves to their associations than Bettie. Both WSAC and WACO will miss her, as we know the citizens of Yakima will. Attached is an outstanding editorial from the Yakima Herald-Republic that shows the high esteem in which she is held by the community. ************************************** LEGISLATURE FINALLY FINISHES ITS JOB AND ADOPTS BUDGET After the regular session and two special sessions lasting 93 days the Legislature finally adopted a budget and went home on April 27th. After many contentious sessions key budget negotiators and leadership finally agreed to a budget that in part addressed the concerns of counties, cities and other agencies trying to find a replacement for the loss of MVET funds resulting from the passage of I-695. At the top of the counties' list was replacement of the criminal justice and sales tax equalization funds. The final budget accepted the formula agreed upon by the counties two weeks ago for a total of $35.6 million over the remainder of the biennium. This results in replacement of 53.39% of the loss for all but seven counties. These seven counties, who were smaller counties heavily dependent upon sales tax equalization, received from 61% to 90% of their losses. A copy of the distribution by county is attached to the back of this Courthouse Journal. The budget provided $33.2 million for public health, which replaces 90% of MVET loss. A copy of the distribution by health department or district is attached to the back of this Courthouse Journal. Funding was also provided for transit, ferries, RTA and transportation projects. See related articles below. Becca, the truancy program for children, was funded at $4.7 for settlement of a lawsuit and $6.0 million for on-going costs during the remainder of the biennium. There was a small amount of funding for drug courts in King, Pierce and Spokane counties and extraordinary criminal justice costs for Cowlitz, Thurston and Franklin counties. There was no funding provided for shorelines planning, however $5 million was provided for shorelines block grants. These funds came from a surplus in the Forest Development Account, the management fund for the forest board trust counties. This resulted in a distribution of an additional one-time allocation to 19 counties of $5 million. The county treasurers of these counties will make the actual distribution based on calendar year 1995-1999 levies and each county's amount will vary. Also of interest to counties was the replacement of 90% of the loss for the air quality program in Department of Ecology. These funds are used in part to help fund local air pollution control authorities. While the counties are pleased to have the Legislature finally complete its job and pass a budget with I-695 backfill dollars in it, it should be recognized that both cities and counties have still suffered a significant loss of funds needed to provide essential public services. Most counties still have a 47% hole in their criminal justice and sales tax equalization revenues. And even though public health had 90% of their funds replaced they too have suffered a significant loss. Legislators need to be reminded of this during the coming elections, and counties need to insist that a permanent replacement be found for all local funds lost as a result of I- 695. The budget did create a task force charged with the responsibility of providing the Legislature with recommendations on the future distribution of ongoing funding to cities, counties and public health districts and departments. The task force shall consist of eight members: four legislators, one from each caucus; one representative of WSAC; one representative from AWC (cities); one representative from CTED; and one representative from OFM. The task force shall identify the manner in which ongoing state funding of city, county and public health program costs would be distributed. A methodology shall be developed and tax capacity and tax base shall be considered, at a minimum, in making the determination. The following is a summary of the funding provided to counties or programs of interest to counties. Criminal Justice/Sales Tax Equalization $35.6 million Public Health 33.2 Transit 80.0 Ferries 20.0 RTA 15.0 County Corridors 15.0 Becca Settlement 4.7 Ongoing 6.0 Drug Courts (King, Pierce, Spokane) .44 Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs .55 (Thurston, Cowlitz, Franklin) Indigent Defense Pilot Project .50 Shorelines Block Grants 5.0 Distribution of FDA (for 19 counties) 4.0-4.5 ************************************** PROPERTY TAX REFORM? Until agreement was reached on the supplemental budget, property taxation continued to be reported in the press as one of the issues that the conferees were attempting to resolve. As reported earlier, the Senate was insistent upon a significant property tax reduction for the average homeowner and had passed a constitutional amendment early in the regular session to give homeowners a $200 credit on their state levy. The House passed different bills during the session, but most recently passed two measures: one that would have reduced the state levy an additional 6.2%, and one that would have given senior citizens with less than $30,000 income a credit against their state levy. The House felt it could not accept the Senate proposal because the fiscal impact was too high. There were also objections from members in the House because the proposal provided relief for homeowners and not for businesses. The Senate insisted on a proposal that would make a significant reduction in taxes. They felt that the 6.2% reduction for everyone was not significant enough to justify the fiscal offset associated with it and would do little to diffuse an initiative effort. As a result, no property tax reform passed the Legislature. Whether the proponents of any of the property tax initiatives filed will be successful in their signature gathering will be known in the next few months. All the property tax initiatives filed are initiatives to the people, which require the signature gathering to be completed by sometime in July, so they can be validated for a vote in the November election. ************************************** BUDGET PROVIDES INDEPENDENT STAFF FOR BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES The budget provides for an independent staff to the Board of Natural Resources. The Board of Natural Resources is an independent board that sets the major policies for the Department of Natural Resources including such issues in the past as adoption of a habitat conservation plan affecting nearly 2 million acres of timber lands in Washington. The Timber Counties in the past have raised the issue of an independent staff to the Board as a way to get another professional opinion. There has been concern that the only position the Board heard was that given by DNR employees, who also worked for the Commissioner of Public Lands, a member of the Board herself. The Board comprises the Commissioner, a representative of the Governor, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Dean of the School of Forestry from the University of Washington, the Dean of the School of Agriculture and Forestry from Washington State University and one representative of the counties. Glen Huntingford, Jefferson County Commissioner, is the current county representative. ************************************** EASTERN DISTRICT MEETING ************************************** URGENT REQUEST - Whoever won the door prize of the Word Perfect program at the Eastern District meeting in Clarkston last week, please call Sandy Cunningham at the Asotin County Commissioner's Office (509) 243-2060. ************************************** EASTERN DISTRICT PASSES RESOLUTIONS ON DAMS AND NMFS LAWSUIT The Eastern District of WSAC held its annual spring meeting in Clarkston last week and had an outstanding conference with over 100 commissioners, public works directors, engineers and others in attendance. Asotin County proved to be a gracious host by providing a boat trip up the Snake River and banquet at Heller's Lodge. They also made sure people were in attendance at all the business meetings by raffling at least 75 gifts to those in the meetings. President Hollis Jamison presided over the meeting and did an outstanding job of keeping it on schedule. The District passed two resolutions that will be presented to the membership at the Summer Convention in Ocean Shores. The first resolution was in opposition to the drawdown, removal or breaching of Columbia River reservoirs and dams. This resolution was offered by Klickitat County in support of the Army Corps of Engineers recommendation not to pursue a John Day Dam drawdown phase 2 study. The second resolution was to support the common sense salmon recovery coalition lawsuit against the National Marine Fisheries Service. Whitman County Commissioner Les Wigen offered this resolution. Several counties have passed similar resolutions. A copy of both resolutions is attached to this Courthouse Journal. The District also passed a motion in support of the Governor's proposed budget, which was made public the day before the meeting. The Governor's proposal included an additional $12.4 million for counties on a one-time basis and the district sent a letter to the Governor and legislative leadership urging its adoption. The letter did emphasize that the Governor's budget still did not fully replace the loss of MVET, and the District urged his leadership in the next session to find a permanent funding solution. Next year's spring meeting was awarded to Stevens County and will be held in Colville. ************************************** LAW & JUSTICE ************************************** OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDES FUNDING FOR LAW & JUSTICE PROGRAMS In addition to the I-695 partial backfill for criminal justice, the newly adopted operating budget includes the following appropriations for county law and justice programs: Becca funding -- $4.7 million for settlement of the lawsuit plus $6 million in ongoing assistance. This is in addition to $6.8 million appropriated in 1999. Drug courts -- $442,000 for the three counties (Spokane, King, Pierce) that have exhausted federal drug court funding. This is only one-half the net federal funding loss, but is more than we expected the Senate to approve. A budget proviso adds that state funds are to be available to individual counties for only three years following exhaustion of federal funds. Extraordinary criminal justice costs -- $550,000 for Franklin, Cowlitz and Thurston counties, which have incurred extraordinary criminal justice costs in the adjudication of aggravated murder cases. Within the total amount provided, the Office of Financial Management will determine the amount to be paid to each county. Law enforcement study -- $215,000 for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) to conduct a study of law enforcement services and expenditures for counties with more than 150,000 population and the cities within these counties. The study will identify potential regional efficiencies in service delivery, particularly relating to special service units such as bomb squads, SWAT teams and hostage rescue units. Indigent defense pilot project -- $500,000 for the state Office of Public Defense (OPD) to conduct a pilot program for indigent defense in dependency and termination cases. The goal is to determine how to best enhance the quality of indigent defense in these cases. This is a fraction of the funding originally requested for the state to take over indigent defense responsibilities statewide, but it is a step in the right direction. OPD will select one Western Washington county and one Eastern Washington county for the pilot project and will provide an interim report to the 2001 Legislature. State toxicology lab -- $300,000 is provided to complete the transition of the state toxicology lab from the University of Washington to the Washington State Patrol. Crime lab -- $2.5 million is provided to replace funds lost as a result of passage of Initiative 695 to maintain service levels at the Washington State Patrol crime laboratory, which provides forensic and DNA analysis of crime scene evidence for state and local criminal justice agencies. Juvenile justice grants -- $1.1 million additional federal funding for local juvenile justice programs from the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant (JAIBG). Criminal justice facilities grants -- $612,000 additional federal funding for local justice facilities is available from the federal Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth-in-Sentencing (VOI/TIS) grant. The funds are available to local governments to help construct, expand or improve local jails. This additional funding brings the total VOI/TIS funds provided during the 1999-01 biennium to $4.1 million. ************************************** LOCAL PROGRAMS ADDED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION ACCOUNT A portion of monies received from fines and forfeitures currently is remitted by local governments to the state for deposit into the Public Safety and Education Account (PSEA). Certain entities and programs are identified in statute as eligible to receive appropriations from the PSEA. In the past, local government law and justice programs have not been eligible for PSEA funds, but the operating budget specifically adds local programs to the pool of eligible recipients. The PSEA now includes local drug courts, extraordinary justice costs, and reimbursement of local government costs associated with implementing criminal and civil justice legislation. While the PSEA is not a dedicated funding source for local programs, it is at least an identified potential funding source. Funding from the PSEA would, in essence, recover for local use some of the fine money sent by local governments to the state. In addition, the final operating budget and revenue bills do not increase traffic fines, thus reserving future potential increases in fines - possibly for local government programs. Previous budget proposals would have substantially increased traffic fines and dedicated most of the revenue for the Traffic Safety Commission for various education programs. Such an increase for the Commission would have realistically precluded future increases that could be earmarked for local government law and justice needs. ************************************** SENTENCING COMMISSION STUDY TO REVIEW LOCAL IMPACTS Included in the budget is $80,000 for the state Sentencing Guidelines Commission to conduct an 18-month review of sentencing policies. The Legislature directs the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review and evaluation of state sentencing policy, including the fiscal impacts on local government. Anticipating legislative adoption of this element, the Commission kicked off the review with a roundtable discussion April 14 at SeaTac. King County Councilmember Greg Nickels, who represents counties on the Commission, attended, as did Thurston County Commissioner Diane Oberquell and several sheriffs. Both Nickels and Oberquell joined a fairly large contingent of speakers in voicing concerns about impacts on local jails and justice systems. Clearly, one of the strongest themes of the day was that the Commission must place a greater emphasis on local government issues. Commission staff say they believe a draft structure for the review process will be determined at the Commission's June meeting, which probably will occur on Friday, June 9. ************************************** TRANSPORTATION ************************************** GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS HELP PROP UP TRANSPORTATION BUDGET State transportation programs and local transit districts lost $933 million as a result of the passage of Initiative 695. The supplemental operating and capital budget appropriates $197.7 million to various programs to help bolster the supplemental transportation budget. These appropriations include: $80 million one-time assistance from the general fund for transit districts and $50 million one-time distribution from the general fund to cover transit liability payments. The $80 million includes all transit districts at about 30 percent of lost funds but is available only in fiscal year 2001. (As you might recall, some earlier budget proposals provided funding over three years but excluded several transit districts.) A complete detailed distribution list is attached to this Courthouse Journal. $20 million ongoing annual assistance from the general fund for ferry operations. Ferry operating services are reduced as a result of lost MVET revenues, but a budget proviso directs the Department of Transportation maintain peak hour vehicle/passenger and summer tourist route capacities. Weekday passenger-only runs are maintained for Bremerton and Vashon routes. No fare hikes are expected this summer. $35 million ongoing annual assistance from interest on the emergency reserve fund for debt service on highway construction. A project list report is available but is too long to attach to this Courthouse Journal. $12.7 million from the general fund for the King Street State rail maintenance facility and to maintain partnerships with Amtrak and Sound Transit. Other transportation budget highlights include: $60 million in Transportation Improvement Board bonds for local partnership and freight mobility projects. ($30 million for local transportation projects; $30 million for Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board projects.) $15 million for county corridor congestion relief program. $5 million for freight rail grants to maintain short-line rail service throughout the state. $500,000 for refrigerated train cars to ship Washington state produce on daily Amtrak runs. ************************************** TRANSPORTATION BUDGET TAKES A BITE OUT OF CRAB After several weeks of what had seemed to be promising discussions with legislative budget writers about the value of County Road Administration Board (CRAB) programs, the final transportation budget reduces CRAB funding by $290,000. This cutback could translate to a loss of three or four staff positions, according to CRAB Deputy Director Jay Armstrong. Budget notes indicate a legislative intent that these administrative reductions will not be restored in the future. The budget appropriates $240,000 to CRAB for a freight and goods road system study. The budget specifies that this appropriation is to be used only for the study, which is not staff-intensive, and not to replace any FTEs lost due to the administrative cutback. The transportation budget further reduces the CRAB budget by $8 million for capital projects that were part of the local government Referendum 49 component. The Rural Arterial Trust Account also is reduced by $12 million due to a projected decrease in fund revenues, which are generated by the counties' share of the gas tax. ************************************** ENVIRONMENT, LAND USE & RESOURCES ************************************** OOPS - A COUPLE BILLS MISSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP Two bills of interest to counties were missed in our legislative wrap-up published two weeks ago. SB 6378, C 34 L 00 extends the Enhanced 911 Advisory Committee until December 31, 2006. SSB 6675, C 37, L 00 allows rural port districts and public utility districts to construct and operate telecommunications services. ************************************** WATERSHED PLANNING GRANT CYCLE OPENS FOR FY 2001 The Department of Ecology will be opening the grant application for watershed planning under chapter 90.82 RCW in early May. Approximately $4.25 million will be available for the second half of this biennium. The priorities and process for funding will be identical to those established last year. The priorities for funding are as follows: Planning units moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2 who demonstrate a readiness to proceed within the biennium are given highest priority. Planning units moving from Phase 2 to Phase 3 who demonstrate a readiness to proceed within the biennium will be the second highest priority. The new planning units located in one of the 16 critical fish basins, identified in the Governor's Draft Salmon Recovery Plan, who meet the eligibility criteria outlined above will be the next highest priority. The next priority will be given to eligible planning units located outside of a critical area that applied last year but did not receive funding. Watch for application packets to arrive soon. ************************************** EMERGENCY RULEMAKING UNDER WAY FOR SMALL FOREST LANDOWNER RIPARIAN EASEMENT PROGRAM The Forest Practices Board is conducting a public hearing May 9 on proposed rules implementing the small forest landowner forestry riparian easement program. The proposal includes easement criteria and standards, valuation of the timber, and the easement document. The May 9 hearing will take place at 3 p.m. in Room 172, Natural Resources Building in Olympia. It is expected that the Board will adopt emergency rules the following day, with a possible effective date of July 3, 2000. See the Board's website at www.wa.gov/dnr for more information. ************************************** COUNTY NEWS ************************************** SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS CHOSEN! The Washington Counties Scholarship Selection Committee has named five students who will each receive a $1500 award for the 2000/01 school year. Over 220 applications were received from eligible children of county employees. The Selection Committee met last week and awarded the scholarships (in alphabetical order) to: Brian S. Boothe, son of Gary Boothe, Spokane County Public Works; Lindsey D. Diefenderfer, daughter of Susan Thompson, Thurston County Employee and Administrative Services; Trisena M. John, daughter of Steve John, Kittitas County Fair Grounds Maintenance; Tara Martin, daughter of Ann Martin, King County Transportation; and, Kelly M. Trowbridge, daughter of Gary and Lynn Trowbridge, Snohomish County Sheriff's Department and Snohomish County Human Resources. Brian Boothe, a graduate of West Valley High School, is a junior at Eastern Washington University, majoring in geology and arts. Brian chose geology for "practical reasons" but admits his first love is art. Brian says, "Life is good." Lindsey Diefenderfer is a junior at the University of Washington majoring in political science and plans a career in international relations. Lindsey was also awarded a Washington Counties Scholarship in 1999 and recently completed a Semester at Sea, a UW program that circumnavigated the globe studying the history and cultures of ten different countries. Trisena John received her first Washington Counties Scholarship in 1998. She plans a future in forensic science after completing two undergraduate degrees at Central Washington University in a record three years! Her goal is to become an investigator for the King County Medical Examiner's Office. Kelly Trowbridge is a freshman at Everett Community College and plans on transferring to the University of Washington to complete a Bachelor's Degree of Nursing after receiving an associate degree at ECC. Her goal is to become a flight nurse. When graduating from high school last year, Kelly was the youngest firefighter/EMT in the State and is employed as an emergency room technician at a hospital in Everett. Tara Martin, a senior at Garfield High School in Seattle, plans a science career, most likely in biology. Tara led a team of eight students with two adults to Mozambique where they installed over 100 donated computers in universities and secondary schools. The team had just completed six months of refurbishing the computers and raising funds for the trip. The Selection Committee also chose two alternates: Leanne Josephson, daughter of James Josephson, King County Metro Transit; and, Christine Pineda, daughter of Teresa C. Pineda, King County Community and Human Services. Runners-up were (in alphabetical order): Laci C. Bannish, daughter of Debbie Bannish, Pacific County Public Works; Austin Becker, son of Rick Becker, Lincoln County Public Works; Laura Becker, daughter of Fred Becker, Grays Harbor Public Works; Kerri Lynn Cook, daughter of Cheri Cook-Blodgett, Skagit Co. Commissioners/Upriver Services; Kelly J. Devine, daughter of Donna Devine, Yakima County Auditor's Office; Conn Padraic Doherty, son of Mike Doherty, Jr., Clallam County Commissioner; Brad Dykstra, son of Jan Dykstra, Cowlitz County Road Department; Jacob M. Fruehauf, son of Sheila Fruehauf, Clark County Sheriff's Department; Katherine E. Greene, daughter of Mark J. Greene, Island County Public Works; Jennifer K. Johnson, daughter of Kathy Johnson, Snohomish County Juvenile Court; Jennifer Kash, daughter of Debra Kash-Matheson, Kitsap County Personnel and Human Services; Tami Keyser, daughter of Susie and Roger Keyser, Ferry County Community Services; Ken Matthews, son of Ken Matthews, Pierce County Budget and Finance; Heidi Melton, daughter of Christine Anderson, Spokane County Information Services; Holly Menino, daughter of James and Rebecca Wilson, Walla Walla County Roads; Sally Morrison, daughter of Steven Morrison, Whitman County Data Processing; Bao-Quoc Tran Nguyen, son of Trang Anh Nguyen, Thurston County Assessor's Office; Ciria Ochoa, daughter of Gloria Ochoa, Adams County Community Counseling; David Pendle, son of Carolyn Pendle, Pierce County Council Staff; Kelley Rencher, daughter of Stephanie Rencher, Yakima County Clerk's Office; Derek Repp, son of Edwin Repp, Spokane County Public Works; Jenna Rudo-Stern, daughter of Greg Stern, Whatcom County Health Department; Scott Seroshek, son of Gary and Debbie Seroshek, Cowlitz County Treasurer's Office; Martha Slaybaugh, daughter of Kathleen Slaybaugh, Garfield County Sheriff's Department; John Sweetman, son of John Sweetman, Spokane County Assessor's Office; Nathan Thomsen, son of Steven Thomsen, Snohomish County Design - Roads and Bridges; Heidi Wait, daughter of Michael Wait, Clallam County Juvenile Services; Marissa Walde, daughter of Jeffrey Walde, Skagit County Sheriff's Department; Tiffany Waters, daughter of Diana Waters, Mason County Treasurer's Office; and, Aaron York, son of Hans and Katherine York, Wahkiakum County Sheriff's Department. Letters noting the substantial achievements and outstanding qualities of all the students listed will be sent to the County Council or Board of County Commissioners in the resident counties of the students. The Scholarship Committee also asks that they be considered if summer employment is available in the county. The Washington Counties Scholarship Fund is a joint effort of WACO and WSAC. ************************************** WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS/COUNCIL CLERKS, SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER CONFERENCE, OCEAN SHORES - JUNE 27-30, 2000 Calling all Clerks! HURRY - Application deadline is Friday, May 19. It's conference time again. There are three conference scholarships available this year for County Commissioner and/or County Council Clerks. One will be a full scholarship of up to $500 to cover registration, travel, lodging and other conference expenses. The other two will be $150 to cover conference registration fees only. Application forms may be obtained through Vickie Musgrove, Cowlitz County Commissioners Office: 207 4th Avenue North, Kelso, WA 98626, Phone: (360) 577-3020 or E-mail: MusgroveV@co.cowlitz.wa.us ************************************** TASK FORCE ON FUNDING OF FAIRS AND YOUTH SHOWS CREATED Supplemental 2000 Operating and Capital Budget creates a 14 member task force. The task force shall develop recommendations on the amount and source or sources of funding needed to encourage fairs and youth shows and any legislative proposals needed to implement the task force recommendations. Recommendations by the task force will be provided by November 15, 2000. The Washington Association of Counties will have one position on this task force. Anyone having an interest in serving on the committee representing WSAC should send a letter to the WSAC office as soon as possible as the appointments will be made by June 1, 2000. ************************************** TOP TWO DSHS EXECUTIVES RETIRE, EACH WITH MORE THAN 30 YEARS SERVICE Secretary Lyle Quasim and Deputy Secretary Charley Reed, the two longest running top executives in the 30-year history of the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), announced this week they will retire on June 30 this year. Quasim and Reed have steered the largest agency of state government for close to four and one-half years. Their tenure is by far the longest of any management team since the department was established in 1970. The average term for what many consider the toughest jobs in state government is less than three years. In a memorandum to all of the department's 18,000 employees across the state, Quasim and Reed said their decision was difficult because of the great admiration, respect and loyalty they have for their fellow workers. "We know how hard you work and we know of the many difficult life and death decisions you make every day," they said. "Your work is not always appreciated but you have never been discouraged. We are proud to have had the opportunity to work with you and we have never done anything more important in our lives than the work we have done with you in DSHS." Both executives have been eligible to retire for several years. After Quasim underwent major abdominal surgery last month, he conferred with reed and the two elected to leave together in June rather than stay for the remainder of Governor Gary Locke's first term as previously expected. Quasim, 56, rose through the ranks of the department from an attendant counselor on the night shift at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom. He later became a program administrator, assistant director and then director of the department's Division of Mental Health, and for a time was Deputy Director of the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation. In December 1995, he was chosen by former Governor Mike Lowry to head the department. Governor Locke reappointed him in 1996. Reed, 59, joined the Washington State Office on Aging in 1966. He was named Director of the Bureau of Aging ten years later. The bureau was reorganized within DSHS, and in 1986 Reed became the first Assistant Secretary for the Department's Aging and Adult Services Administration, a post he held until he was tapped by Quasim to be Deputy Secretary. The governor is expected to name an interim secretary to run the department while a formal recruitment effort is under way for the two top jobs. ************************************** COUNTY AUDITORS' ANNUAL ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS CONFERENCE County Auditors met for the year 2000 Election Administrators Conference held at Campbell's at Lake Chelan April 17 - 19. Attendance was huge with over 175 attendees. The agenda was packed with training ranging from topics on project management, procurement policies, signature checking and legal issues for elections. Each conferee attended eleven different training sessions. The credits accrued for the training are applied to the required credits for election administration certification. In 2002, Washington's election officials will participate in a regional conference with the State of Oregon on election-related issues. It has yet to be decided whether there will be a 2001 elections conference. ************************************** WALLA WALLA COUNTY E-MAIL Please take note! Kathy Martin, the Walla Walla County Clerk, is receiving not only her own e-mail but also the e-mail for Karen Martin, the Walla Walla County Auditor. Auditor Karen Martin does not have an e-mail address at this time and has asked that people please not send her e-mails using Kathy Martin's address. Karen anticipates having her own e-mail address sometime in the next few months. ************************************** F Y I ************************************** SUPREME COURT SCRUTINIZES "BLANKET PRIMARY" The "blanket primary" system was under scrutiny this week when the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding California's blanket primary. The case landed in the country's highest court as a result of the political parties in California contending that the primary belongs to them and only the voters that choose to affiliate with a party should participate in the selection of that parties' nominees. The State of California argues that the process belongs to the people and not to the parties. In 1996, the people of California passed Proposition 198 establishing the blanket primary. In 1997, it was ruled constitutional by the United States District court and affirmed by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1999. It was appealed to the United States Supreme Court. Washington State has joined California by filing an amicus brief in support of the blanket primary. The State of Alaska, the only other state besides Washington and California that has adopted the blanket primary, is also represented in the amicus brief. It appears that a decision will be handed down in late June. In Washington State, the Office of the Secretary of State is looking at a number of options should the court rule that political parties are not bound by the results of a blanket primary. The ruling could very well affect this year's primary election. The blanket primary has been used in the State of Washington since 1935 and has survived a number of attacks on the constitutionality of the process. ************************************** SPECIAL 695 SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR CASCADE TRAINING The Cascade Center at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Affairs and WSAC have joined together to provide scholarship monies to counties to attend one-day programs on I-695. Please see the letter from Jim Potts attached to this Courthouse Journal for further information and dates of upcoming trainings. ************************************** MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS ************************************** LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP - NOT TOO LATE! There are still slots left for the upcoming Local Board of Health Leadership Workshop to be held at the West Coast SeaTac Hotel on May 4 -5, 2000. This is an opportunity for local board of health members to discuss important public health issues and to interact with public health colleagues from around the state. What about public heath financing, standards, emerging infectious disease threats, water issues, etc.? Come to SeaTac to discuss these common issues, share best practices and learn from each other in your roles as Board of Health members. If you are interested in participating, please fax your registration to the WSAC office by Tuesday, May 2nd, at 360-753-8242. ************************************** UPCOMING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SUMMIT A summit "Getting Connected" Linking Our Small and Rural Communities to the World Through Enhanced Telecommunications, will be held June 1 - 2, 2000 at the Spokane Center, Spokane. This subject has been a topic of discussion for several sessions in the Legislature and this year with the passage of SB 6675, rural port districts and public utility districts are allowed to construct and operate telecommunication services. This summit will be an excellent opportunity to hear discussions on what could take place in the future with telecommunications. For further information please check on the web at http://hrs.crgnet.com/GettingConnected/info.asp. Attached to this Courthouse Journal is the registration form and additional information on the summit. ************************************** COUNTY CALENDAR ************************************** May 1 Application for forest land designation is approved unless the county assessor has notified the applicant in writing of the extent to which it is denied. RCW 84.33.130 1 Open space farm and agricultural land application is approved unless the county assessor has notified the owner. RCW 84.34.035 29 Memorial day observed - Legal Holiday. RCW 1.16.050 31 The county assessor shall have completed the duties of listing and placing valuations on all property. RCW 84.40.040 ************************************** COMING EVENTS ************************************** May 3 1999 Foreign Protection Full Faith and Credit Act Training, sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' and Sheriffs' and Police Chiefs' Associations, Criminal Justice Training Center, Des Moines, 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Four C.L.E. credits. (360) 753-2175 17-20 National Association of Counties' (NACo) Annual Western Interstate Region (WIR) Conference, Ada County, Boise, Idaho. 22-25 Sheriffs and Police Chiefs Annual Spring Meeting, West Coast Hotel, Wenatchee. 30 1999 Foreign Protection Full Faith and Credit Act Training, sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' and Sheriffs' and Police Chiefs' Associations, Jefferson County Courthouse, Port Townsend, 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Four C.L.E. credits. (360) 753-2175 June 1 1999 Foreign Protection Full Faith and Credit Act Training, sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' and Sheriffs' and Police Chiefs' Associations, Whatcom Crisis Services, Bellingham, 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Four C.L.E. credits. (360) 753-2175 10-14 International Association of Clerks', Recorders', Election Officials' and Treasurers' (IACREOT) Annual Conference, Cleveland, Ohio. 11-14 Government Finance Officers' Association Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois. 11-15 International Association of Coroners' and Medical Examiners' Annual Conference, Mundelein, Illinois. 13-16 Washington State Association of County Auditors' Annual Conference, Silverdale on the Bay Hotel, Silverdale. 14 County Auditors' Licensing Conference, Silverdale on the Bay Hotel, Silverdale. 14-16 Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys' (WAPA) Summer Training Program, Campbell's Lodge, Chelan. 17-21 National Sheriffs' Association Annual Conference, Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio. 19-23 Washington State Association of County Clerks' Annual Conference, Quality Inn, Clarkston. 19-23 Washington State Association of County Treasurers' Annual Conference, Friday Harbor Inn, Friday Harbor. 19-23 Washington State Association of County Assessors' Annual June Conference, Yakima. 19-23 Association of Washington Cities' (AWC) Annual Conference, Spokane. 27-30 Washington State Association of Counties' (WSAC) Annual Conference, Shilo Inn, Ocean Shores. 29 1999 Foreign Protection Full Faith and Credit Act Training, sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' and Sheriffs' and Police Chiefs' Associations, Clark Regional Communications Center, Vancouver, 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Four C.L.E. credits. (360) 753-2175 30 1999 Foreign Protection Full Faith and Credit Act Training, sponsored by the Prosecuting Attorneys' and Sheriffs' and Police Chiefs' Associations, Thurston County Courthouse, Olympia, 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Four C.L.E. credits. (360) 753-2175 ************************************** COURTHOUSE RAMBLINGS ************************************** Former Benton County Prosecutor Herbert Hopkins Davis passed away April 8 at the age of 91. In 1949 he left his job as a King County deputy prosecutor and opened a private law practice in Prosser. Mr. Davis was the first Benton County Prosecutor to be paid for a full week's work when he was elected as the county's part-time prosecutor in 1957, while still maintaining his practice. The job became a full-time position in 1970, four years before he retired. Mr. Davis was regarded as a mentor to judges, prosecutors and attorneys and had a reputation for being very fair. Following his retirement, he spent several years as a court commissioner in Prosser. Since his retirement, Mr. Davis has only been followed by two prosecutors - Curt Ludwig (who served as a deputy prosecutor under Mr. Davis for 14 years), from 1975 through 1986, and Andy Miller, from 1987 to the present. * * * * * Grays Harbor County was hit by an earthquake last July, and the most damage caused was to the county courthouse in Montesano. County offices have been moving out of the courthouse so that repairs can be made. For the next year, the County Clerk's address is 123 First Street and the Prosecuting Attorney's address is 202 North First Street, Montesano, 98563. The Superior Court Administration office and District Court 1 and Adult Probation were also moved out. TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR ALL OFFICES WILL REMAIN THE SAME. Other county offices are located in the Administration Building and will not be affected. * * * * * Many congratulations to Whatcom County Treasurer Barbara Cory and her husband, Greg, who became grandparents for the first time on April 17! Lena Paige Cory was born to their son and daughter-in-law, and was 8 pounds, 14 ounces and 21" long. * * * * * Whitman County Treasurer Mary Crawford has announced she will retire on May 1 after nearly 33 years of service to the county. When appointed County Treasurer in late 1979, Mary became Whitman County's youngest county official ever. She is now second most senior county treasurer in the State. Mary's staff says "dedication and unequaled integrity" are more than just words in describing Mary's commitment to local government, they are facts. We join them in wishing Mary many long years of a happy and healthy retirement. A reception in Mary's honor is planned for Friday, May 12, 2 - 4 p.m. in the Whitman County Commissioners' Chambers. ************************************** JOBS ************************************** SURFACE WATER SENIOR MANAGER, YAKIMA COUNTY - Annual Salary Range: $42,948 - $68,919 (Hiring Step: DOQ). Yakima County is seeking an experienced manager to develop, implement and direct staff, plans, policies, procedures and public relations related to Flood Hazard/Stormwater management and surface water programs including the new county-wide Flood Control Zone District, Naches and Yakima River levee systems, and county-maintained drainage improvement districts. Requires equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Business or a related field plus six (6) years related experience including three (3) years as a manager or supervisor. Open until filled or will close at 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 2, 2000. For applications and supplemental questionnaires, contact Yakima County Human Resources, Courthouse Room 412, Yakima, WA 98901 (509) 574-2210 Internet: sharond@co.yakima.wa.us Equal Opportunity Employer. ***** BENTON - CHIEF DEPUTY TREASURER ($45,324 - $56,844 annually, plus benefits). Senior Management position - plans, directs and oversees accounting, cash management, investments, and financial computer systems for Treasurer's Office and all junior taxing districts within county. Manages and directs office staff. Contact Personnel Resources Department, 1766 Fowler, Suite B, Richland, WA 99352 or (509) 786-5626 or 737-2777, fax (509) 737-2778 or website www.co.benton.wa.us. Closes 5:00 p.m. on 5/12/00. AA/EOE. ***** ISLAND COUNTY - ASSOCIATE PLANNER - Community Development Division has a full-time position. Review and prepare recommendations and decisions on land use proposals, including subdivisions, site plans, shoreline permits, and minor land use applications. Ensure compliance with County Comp Plan, Zoning Ord, SEPA, and Shoreline Management and Master Prg. Make presentations to hearing bodies. Provide public information on codes and land-use policies. Assist in long-range planning, activities including code amendments. Requires BS or BA in Planning or Geography and two years related work experience, basic knowledge of planning, zoning, subdivision, land-use law, GMA, SEPA, shoreline laws. Island County application for employment required. Closes May 19, 2000. Call (360) 679-7372. EOE ***** SPOKANE COUNTY - PLANNER II - Part time (60% position). This professional position will work under the direction of the Boundary Review Board Planner, performing analysis of land use, population, housing and environmental information; preparing maps based on legal descriptions and parcel maps (using both existing maps and ArcView 3.0) and reviewing current development proposals (i.e. rezones, preliminary plats), growth management plans and policies, SEPA documents, etc. Requires a BA in Planning or related field plus 2 years experience; prefer experience with ArcView 3.0, AICP membership and local government planning experience. $1664- $2245/mo, plus pro-rated benefits. Closes 5/12/2000, 5pm. For complete information and application materials, contact Spokane County Human Resources at (509) 477-5750, TDD, or email request to hkvokov@spokanecounty.org; Equal Opportunity Employer; www.spokanecounty.org. ***** SPOKANE COUNTY - DIRECTOR OF PLANNING (re-opened) Plan, organize and direct the Current and Long Range Planning divisions of Spokane County Public Works, including 27 employees and a budget of $2.3 million, under the general supervision of the Public Works Director. Requires a bachelor's degree in Planning, Public Administration, Political Science or related field AND five years of progressively responsible planning experience- including two years in a supervisory capacity. $50,884- $68,660 annually, plus excellent benefits. Open until filled. For complete information and application materials, contact Spokane County Human Resources at (509) 477- 5750, TDD, or email request to hkvokov@spokanecounty.org; Equal Opportunity Employer; www.spokanecounty.org. ***** SPOKANE COUNTY - 911 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATORS - Multiple regular and part-time positions to fill! Answering 911 emergency and Crime Check non-emergency phone lines; 24 hr/7 day a week operation- must be available all shifts. $10.35/hr. to start. Regular positions include excellent benefits: medical, dental, vacation, sick leave, pension, etc. Complete position description and application materials at Spokane County Human Resources, West 1229 Mallon, Spokane, WA. For more info, please call (509) 477-5750, TDD; Equal Opportunity Employer; www.spokanecounty.org Heather D. Kvokov Human Resources Specialist (509) 477-2125 hkvokov@spokanecounty.org **** END ****