The Courthouse Journal A Joint Publication of the Washington State Association of Counties & Washington Association of County Officials September 22, 2000 Number 23 ******************************************* Due to the WSAC Eastern District meeting on September 28 and 29 and WACO preparing for their annual conference the following week, we will not publish a Courthouse Journal next Friday. We will resume publication on October 6. ******************************************* SEE PAGE 2 FORWACO CONFERENCE INFORMATION WACO PRIMARY ELECTION NEWS Yakima County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Sullivan has won a place on the November ballot as a candidate for Supreme Court Justice, Position 2. Sullivan's name will appear on the ballot with candidate Susan Owens. In a nonpartisan race, such as the Supreme Court, the top two vote getters advance to the general election ballot. If a single candidate receives the majority of the votes, that candidate's name would appear on the general election ballot alone. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney John Ladenburg had a good showing as the Democratic nominee for Pierce County Executive. Ladenburg will face Republican Jan Shabro, a current Pierce County Council member, on the November ballot. Also running in Pierce County, Council member Ken Madsen (D) will face Dale Washam (R) in November to capture the Assessor-Treasurer seat. Whitman County Treasurer Bob Lothspeich (R) ran unopposed for an unexpired term and will appear on the November ballot. Skagit County Treasurer Katie Jungquist (R) is also running for an unexpired term will proceed to the November ballot. Clark County Assessor Ben Gassaway will appear as the Democratic nominee in the 49th District State Senate race. Gassaway will face Republican House member Don Carlson for this position which was vacated by Senator Al Bauer. Thurston County Auditor Sam Reed won the Republican nomination for Secretary of State. Snohomish County Auditor Bob Terwilliger was unsuccessful in his bid for the Democratic nomination for the Secretary of State's Office. Terwilliger ran against former Clark County Auditor Don Bonker who will be the Democratic nominee for the state's top election officer. Former Cowlitz County Prosecutor James Stonier resigned his position earlier this year to run for Superior Court and will appear on the November ballot unopposed. The prosecutor's position was open to a special three-day filing period because Stonier resigned his position prior to the fourth Tuesday before the primary. Sue Baur (D) successfully ran for the position against another democrat and will appear on the November ballot alone. She will assume her position upon certification of the general election. Acting Prosecuting Attorney Ron Marshall did not run for the position. Grays Harbor County Clerk Rhonda Steinman lost her bid for the Democratic nomination to the office's Chief Deputy Clerk, Cheryl Brown. Steinman was appointed to the position following the retirement of longtime County Clerk Jackie Busse. In a crowded Democratic field, former Kitsap County Auditor Sherril Huff-Menees was unsuccessful in her run for County Commissioner. Steve Rynearson, a former Asotin County Assessor running for a commissioner seat was unable to capture the Republican nomination. Final tabulation of the elections will be certified by Sept. 29 and some of the results could change as absentees are counted. A complete election return is attached to the back of this Courthouse Journal. ******************************************* NINE WSAC MEMBERS LOSE IN PRIMARY The Primary election took its toll as nine members lost their reelection bids this past Tuesday. Three counties saw both incumbents on the ballot being replaced. In Skagit County Bob Hart, Past WSAC President, and Harvey Wolden failed in their reelection bids. In Stevens County Fran Bessermin and Fred Lotze will be replaced as will Bill Schlagel and Bill Wills in Adams County. In addition, Joel Rupley from Cowlitz, Charlotte Garrido from Kitsap and Hollis Jamison from Whitman were all trailing in the unofficial returns. Ten members had already decided not to run for reelection before the primary so there will be at least 19 new members joining the WSAC after the November election. The retiring members are Jim Nelson, Columbia; Dick Dixon, Grays Harbor; Dan Harpole, Jefferson; John Bolender, Mason; Ed Thiele, Okanogan; Ken Madsen, Pierce; Doug Sutherland, Pierce Executive, who was term limited; Judy Wilson, Thurston; Nora Mae Keifer, Whitman and Bettie Ingham, Yakima, and WSAC President. There are 17 members or new members who either ran unopposed or won a single party primary, effectively assuring their election. They are Don Scheibe, Asotin; Dwight L. Robanske and Dick Jones, Columbia; Dane Keane, Douglas; Neva Corkrum and Sue Miller, Franklin; Butch Klaveano and Steve Ledgerwood, Garfield; Tim Snead, Grant; Dennis Morrisette, former Sheriff, Grays Harbor; Bill Graedel and Deral Boleneus, Lincoln; Jon Kaino, Pacific; Harold Moss and Pat O'Malley, Pierce; Greg Partch, Whitman; Pam Ray, Walla Walla. In addition, Doug Sutherland, Pierce County Executive, won the Republican nomination for Commissioner of Public Lands and will be opposed by former Governor and past WSAC President, Mike Lowry. Pierce County Councilmember Jan Shabro will face Pierce County Prosecutor John Ladenburg in the race for Executive. Final tabulation of the elections will be certified by Sept. 29 and some of the results could change as absentees are counted. A complete election return is attached to the back of this Courthouse Journal. ******************************************* WACO ANNUAL CONFERENCE ******************************************* TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE WACO ANNUAL CONFERENCE WACO is offering two concurrent training tracks at the WestCoast Tri-Cities Hotel in Kennewick on October 3 in conjunction with the 42nd WACO Annual Conference. Innovative Approaches in Employee Selection will be presented by Peter Scontrino, Ph.D., a licensed industrial psychologist and management consultant, who has received great reviews from attendees in the past. The session on employee selection includes advanced techniques for use in hiring and the appropriate testing and measurements related to the position. Disciplinary Actions and Termination will be presented by Kathy A. Peck, Esq., who specializes is the area of labor law with special emphasis on employment discrimination, supervisory training and preventive labor relations. In this track, county officials will learn how to take actions that minimize the possibility of lawsuits; what supporting documentation is necessary; and, how to appropriately handle problems in the workplace. Credit for both classes will be given toward a certification from the University of Washington for WACO's County Officials Training and Certification Course (COTCC). A request for continuing legal education credits (CLEs) will be made for prosecutors and deputies attending the track on Disciplinary Actions and Termination. Registration information is available by calling WACO. ******************************************* WACO SLATE OF CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED The WACO Nominating Committee met recently and approved the slate of candidates for the WACO Board of Trustees. The following candidates will be presented at the 42nd WACO Annual Conference in Kennewick: President: Richard Lathim, Franklin Co Sheriff President-elect: Barbara Cory, Whatcom Co Treasurer Vice President: Greg Zempel, Kittitas Co Prosecutor Secretary/Treasurer: Mary Dodge, Douglas Co Treasurer Trustees-at-large: Position #2 Tom Fallquist, Spokane Co Clerk Position #4 Donna Eldridge, Jefferson Co Auditor The candidates will be presented to the WACO membership on October 4 during the Opening General Session of the conference. At that time, nominations may be made from the floor. Contested candidates will have an opportunity to address the membership during lunch. The polls will be open from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday and 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The WACO Bylaws do not allow voting by proxy and require an election by secret ballot during the annual conference. ******************************************* WACO CONFERENCE DAYS AWAY The 42nd Annual WACO Conference is just days away, beginning on October 3, at the WestCoast Tri-Cities. The number of those registering is climbing and the hotel is sold out on Wednesday and Thursday nights. There are several hotels nearby if you have not yet secured reservations: The Silver Cloud at 509-735-6100; the Fairfield Inn by Marriott at 509-783-2164; the Comfort Inn at 509-783-8396; and the Super 8 at 509-736-6888. All are within walking distance, except the Super 8, which is fairly close by. The entire schedule of events for the conference is enclosed with this mailing of the Courthouse Journal. ******************************************* TRANSPORTATION ******************************************* BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON TRANSPORTATION UPDATE The Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation (BRCT) has been gathering information and taking input from the public over the last two years. As a result of their work, 64 options were developed and proposed to change and improve transportation across the state. The Commission has held two public hearings (Bellevue and Yakima) and held two meetings in Everett and Olympia on this subject. WSAC had representation at all four meetings. We have another opportunity for input at the Eastern District meeting next week in Pullman on September 28. The Commission will present a brief summary of the 64 options. After the presentation they will take comments on an informal basis from the audience. Please come share your thoughts and individual county interests. Attached is a summary of the 64 options. You may contact Jackie White at WSAC for further information or comment. ******************************************* WSAC LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE ******************************************* WSAC SECRETARY-TREASURER CANDIDACY STATEMENTS SOUGHT Members of the Washington State Association of Counties who are considering seeking a WSAC office are urged to submit their statements of candidacy for publication in the Courthouse Journal and on the WSAC website. Statements should be limited to four or five paragraphs. While each of the three offices of the Association is technically open each Fall, practice has been for the Vice President to move to the Association Presidency automatically. The same is true for the Secretary-Treasurer to move to the Vice Presidency. If the practice continues Island County Commissioner Mike Shelton will be elected President in Pasco during the Fall Legislative Conference and Grant County Commissioner LeRoy Allison will advance to become Vice President. Candidates for Secretary-Treasurer must be from the Association's Western District. Statements will be published in the Courthouse Journal the week of arrival. ******************************************* COUNTY NEWS ******************************************* KLICKITAT COUNTY ASSESSOR RESIGNS After 15 years as Klickitat County Assessor, Alan Shipp is resigning to take a position with Proval, a software company that provides a property valuation system for Windows. His resignation takes effect on November 15. The best of luck to him! The Democratic Central Committee in Klickitat County is asking those interested in the appointment to assessor to attend a meeting of the Committee on Tuesday, October 10, at 7:00 p.m. Those attending will be expected to give a history of their qualifications and background. There will be a question and answer session at the end. The location of the meeting is at the Public Utility District building, 1313 South Columbus, Goldendale. Questions can be directed to the Chief Deputy Assessor Donna Silen at (509) 773-2306 or (800) 764-2235. ******************************************* GRAYS HARBOR COMMISSIONER UNDERGOES HEART SURGERY Dick Dixon, Grays Harbor Commissioner, had a five-way by-pass operation on Tuesday of this week. He had complained of feeling ill while in the office a couple of weeks ago. He decided to visit his doctor and they found he had one artery that was 100% blocked and that two others were 60% blocked. At first Dixon expected a three-way by-pass but the doctors decided he needed a more extensive procedure. He hopes to be up and around in 4-6 weeks. He is in Swedish Hospital in Seattle and may be home as early as next week. ******************************************* LAW & JUSTICE ******************************************* ONLY 4 COUNTIES RESPOND TO JAIL SURVEY.BUT IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC), in conjunction with a steering committee representing county, city and state government is conducting a study regarding the feasibility of shared incarceration capacity through the use of regional jails. The outcome of this study could lead to state assistance in financing both capital and operating costs for new regional jail facilities. On August 9 the consultant conducting the study sent a brief introductory letter and survey to all county commissioners as well as sheriffs and corrections administrators. The purpose of the survey is to ascertain the respondent's level of interest in regional jails, opinions and any personal experience with or knowledge of successful or unsuccessful examples of shared-capacity facilities. The original deadline for responses was August 31. As of September 18, commissioners in only four counties had responded to the survey. These were Columbia, Cowlitz, Kitsap and Skamania counties. In some cases it appears that the commissioners may have requested another county department to respond on their behalf. To the extent that commissioners wish to respond separately, the consultant is continuing to accept survey responses. For more information or to get another copy of the survey, contact Jim LaMunyon, WASPC Jail Project Manager, at 360-586-7030 or jimlamunyon@thurston.com. ******************************************* ENVIRONMENT, LAND USE & RESOURCES ******************************************* DOE MODIFIES DAIRY WASTE RULES The Department of Ecology has agreed to change its enforcement of dairy waste management requirements after a meeting with Enumclaw-area farmers. Sen. Pam Roach called the meeting concerning DOE's requirement to site a 3 million-gallon cow manure lagoon on a farm south of Enumclaw. More than 70 farmers attended the meeting to voice their concerns. Changes include farmers being allowed to comply with the dairy waste requirements by the original 2003 deadline; no fines will be levied if manure is found in seasonal ponds that form in the middle of pastures during the rainy season unless the waste reaches streams or acquifers; no fines will be assessed for a "potential to pollute". An actual discharge to a stream or acquifers must occur before a fine can be levied. DOE had told the Enumclaw farmer that he had to build the lagoon by October 1 or face heavy fines because of the potential for pollution. He has already spent $25,000 to dig the lagoon and site it. The lagoons are used to hold cow manure during the rainy season. The cow waste is then discharged onto farm fields during the rest of the year. DOE apologized for its enforcement of the lagoon standards in King County. Officials said that enforcement was not consistent with what it was doing elsewhere in the state. ******************************************* ASK MRSC ******************************************* ANNEXATION AGREEMENTS - REVENUE SHARING MRSC has a number of revenue sharing agreements that may be of interest to counties. These agreements address transition of public service provision and compensation to counties, at least on a transitional basis, for lost revenues. These agreements usually focus on re-allocation of property and sales taxes. MRSC has several agreements that address revenue cost sharing and service transition for annexations in general. Other examples address revenue sharing or adjustments related to specific large developments. A few agreements include preliminary agreements that set in motion work toward future agreements to share or adjust revenues. Walla Walla County and the city of Walla Walla have signed an agreement that establishes a framework to address fiscal impacts of the annexation of significant developed commercial and industrial properties. In the agreement, the city and county have established a formula that will compensate the county for lost revenue resulting from annexation, and that will compensate the city for expenditures for the provision of services to the annexed area. The Walla Walla agreement is similar to a 1990 agreement (no longer operative) between the city of Lacey and Thurston County. The Lacey/Thurston County agreement could also be applied to significant residential property annexations if the new city service cost exceeded revenues. The Lacey/Thurston agreement also addressed Thurston County groundwater protection concerns. Grant County and the city of Moses Lake reached a mediated agreement to provide for timely annexations by Moses Lake, while protecting the financial viability of the Grant County Road fund. The agreement contains reimbursement formulas to help the county adjust to reduced road revenues. The city will reimburse the county at a decreasing rate over a six-year period, corresponding with the time frame of the county's capital improvement program. Separate formulas are established for resource-based and non-resource based property annexations. The agreement also addresses city-county cost sharing for maintenance costs on a specific road. The city will also reimburse the county for the locally funded portion of any capital investments made by the county within the unincorporated UGA, at the time of annexation. MRSC has a comprehensive set of agreements between Clark County and its cities addressing the transition of responsibilities for the provision of services (and related revenue adjustments) following annexation. Among the agreements is a revenue-sharing agreement to address the impacts of a specific large development (Van Mall). MRSC also has annexation agreements that include revenue adjustments related to the annexation of large planned developments in Snohomish and King Counties. In addition to the agreements mentioned above, other examples from MRSC's collection are listed below, MRSC would appreciate any other examples of revenue-sharing agreements or studies that counties would like to share. Please send to the attention of Sue Enger, Planning Consultant. Memorandum of Understanding, Urban Growth Area Zoning and Development Standards (Thurston County, Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater), 1995 Interlocal Agreement between Bellingham and Whatcom County Concerning Annexation and Development within the Bellingham UGA, 1997 Memorandum of Understanding, Urban Growth Area Zoning and Development Standards (Skagit County and Mt. Vernon) 1998 Master Interlocal Agreement for GMA Implementation in Yakima County. 1999 Snohomish County and Mukilteo agreement to coordinate on planning programs and public service continuity Snohomish County and Bothell agreement to coordinate planning, community development, parks, public works, public safety and public service continuity for the Canyon Park Annexation, 1992 Master Transportation Financing Agreement from Grand Ridge Joint Agreement among King County, City of Issaquah, Grand Ridge Limited Partnership, and Glacier Ridge Limited Partnership, Draft, 1995 (Appendix F) **Information about MRSC: Web: www.mrsc.org or Call: 206-625-1300 or 1- 800-933-6772 ******************************************* COMING EVENTS ******************************************* October 2-6 WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY OFFICIALS' ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WESTCOAST TRI-CITIES HOTEL, KENNEWICK. 11 WSAC Legislative Steering Committee, Long Beach, WA 12-13 WSAC Western District Meeting, Long Beach ******************************************* COURTHOUSE RAMBLINGS ******************************************* Governor Locke has appointed Thurston County Prosecutor Ed Holm and Adams County Sheriff Mike Kline to the Criminal Justice Training Commission for six-year terms. The commission develops and implements training standards and programs designed to upgrade criminal justice personnel and establishes standards relating to physical, mental and moral fitness for recruiting criminal justice personnel. ***** (Submitted by Island County Public Works Department) On September 28, 2000 Roy L. Allen will be retiring from Island County. Roy joined Island County in September 1975 after having spent twenty years in the U.S. Navy. He began employment with Island County as the Assistant County Engineer. In July 1982 he was promoted to County Engineer and remained in that position for over sixteen years. In January 1999 he was again promoted to Assistant Public Works Director/Surface Water Manager. With his retirement, Island County will be losing a very valuable and extremely knowledgeable employee. We wish him the very best as he pursues his hunting interests and enjoys the very special times with his family and friends. ******************************************* JOBS ******************************************* ADAMS COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT - ENGINEERING SUPERVISOR. This position is responsible for assisting the county engineer and/or engineering supervisors in establishing layout, constructing and improving all county roads and structures of the county as well as supervising engineering technicians. Assignments will include working indoors or outdoors in all weather conditions while performing duties which require manual labor and/or operation of technical equipment. Persons in this position are given significant discretion within the scope of policy and regulations, in the routine performance of their duties; supervision and guidance are received from the County Engineer and/or the Public Works Director. Qualifications include possession of a valid Washington State Drivers license, possession of a valid traffic safety flagging card, an association degree in engineering or related field and four years of progressively responsible work in civil engineering of road and bridge construction; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Pay is based upon a 40 hour week; salary range is $15.14 to $17.40 per hour, per range 17 of the Adams County Salary Plan. Applications must accompany r‚sum‚. Applications available at the Adams County Public Works Office, 210 W. Alder, Ritzville, WA 99169, (509) 659-3276. Closing date will be September 29, 2000 at 5:00 pm. ***** COWLITZ COUNTY - MANAGER OF CENTRAL SERVICES. This position plans, manages and coordinates the operations of Central Services to ensure that quality internal services are provided for efficient and effective automation of the County's information systems and networks. Requires a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field and 5 years of increasingly responsible experience, including 2 or more years of management and supervisory experience related to the development, selection, installation, operation and maintenance of automated information systems and services, or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities. Salary: $5,329 per month (currently under review). Applications and complete job description can be obtained by visiting Admin. Services, 207 4th Avenue N, Kelso, WA 98626 or calling (360) 577-3065 or TDD (360) 577-3061. Applications must be returned to Admin. Services by 10/20/00. Cowlitz County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ***** COWLITZ COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT - BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALIST. This position provides expertise to ensure the delivery of effective mental health, development disability and substance abuse treatment and support services provided by the Department's sub-contractors to qualified Cowlitz County residents. Requirements: Bachelor's degree in social work, behavioral sciences, psychology or related field and a minimum of 3 years of employment as a clinician serving individuals with mental disorders, chemical dependency issues and/or developmental disabilities. Salary: $3,553 per month; subsequent annual steps $3,750, $4,947. Applications and complete job description can be obtained by visiting Admin. Services, 207 4th Avenue N, Kelso, WA 98626 or calling (360) 577-3065 or TDD (360) 577- 3061. Position is open until filled. Cowlitz County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ***** COWLITZ COUNTY CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT - MANAGER OF OFFENDER SERVICES. This position administers the work/school release, work crews, alternative community service program, day reporting/pre-trial release programs and electronic monitoring program for the Superior, Municipal and District Courts and their clients. Requirements: Bachelor's degree in appropriate social science field and a strong management background. Experience working in the field of corrections and in developing innovative programs that addresses the needs of the criminal justice system and/or offenders. Salary: $3,910 per month, with subsequent annual steps $4,126, $4,342. Applications and complete job description can be obtained by visiting Admin. Services, 207 4th Avenue N., Kelso, WA 98626 or calling (360) 577- 3065 or TDD (360) 577-3061. Applications must be returned to Admin. Services by 10/20/00. Cowlitz County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ***** COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - MASON COUNTY, Shelton, WA - $4,690 - $5,570/month. Directs the planning, building code and permit assistance center divisions. Minimum Qualifications: Bachelors degree in public administration, planning, environment or natural science and five years of progressively responsible experience in land use planning or building code enforcement and 2 years experience as supervisor or manager. Application available at 411 N. Fifth St., Shelton, WA 98584 or call (360) 427-7265. Open until filled. ***** EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - The Children's Alliance is a statewide, member-based, not-for-profit advocacy organization with more than 125 organizational and 2,000 individual members in Washington State. Its mission is to improve the well being of children by effecting positive changes in public policies and priorities. The Children's Alliance has a 17-member staff, an annual budget of $1.3 million, and offices in Seattle and Spokane. The Children's Alliance is an independent member of the National Association of Child Advocates. Additional information is available at www.childrensalliance.org. Position: The Children's Alliance is seeking a full-time Executive Director with excellent skills in communications, administration and fundraising. The Executive Director must have a demonstrated commitment to children and families, a passion for social justice, and experience in improving public policies. He or she must also be committed to promoting equity, embracing diversity, and working against racism. Salary range: $55,000 - $65,000 DOE plus an excellent package of benefits. Major Responsibilities: Provide an effective voice within the organization and in the community on behalf of children and families. Provide a clear sense of mission to the Board, staff, members, and partners of the Children's Alliance as well as strategies to continuously increase the effectiveness of the organization. Sustain and enhance the resources of the organization through strong leadership, capable oversight and management, and effective fundraising. Hire and train staff, and provide supervision and support to staff and volunteers. Build and maintain working relationships with policy makers, colleagues, the media, and public officials. Required Qualifications: Demonstrated success in the following areas: Effecting positive changes for vulnerable children and families. Administering not for profit organizations and/or programs. Managing and supervising staff. Raising funds through grant writing, contract development and/or contributions from individuals and organizations. Managing financial resources. Communicating effectively in both oral and written media. Professional Experience: At least five to ten years of leadership experience in policy advocacy, not-for-profit administration, fund- development, and/or children and family services. Education: Masters Degree in Public Affairs, Social Work or related field preferred. BA and additional experience may substitute. To Apply: Send a cover letter and resume to the Search Committee, The Children's Alliance, 172 20th Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98122. Applicants are encouraged to submit resumes by or before October 6th. Targeted Starting Date: January 1, 2001. Closing Date: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. **** END ****