WSAC membership approves 2012 annual budget, goals and actions, dues schedule 

For 2012, the process that led to the adoption of WSAC's Annual Operating Budget and Goals included these four steps:

1. The Board of Directors met May 12-13 to develop a preliminary set of goals and actions;
2. The WSAC Executive Board met August 3-5 to:
   • review the current fiscal year's budget and goals;
   • refine the set of preliminary goals and actions developed by the WSAC Board of Directors;
   • create a proposed Operating and Special Funds Budget; and
   • develop proposed General and Transportation Dues Schedule.
3. The Board of Directors met September 16 to review the proposals from the Executive Board, and after consideration:
   • approved and recommend to the  membership Annual Goals and Actions and a proposed Annual Operating Budget;
   • approved and recommended to the membership Annual General and Transportation Dues Schedule; and
   • adopted the Special Fund Budget.
4. The WSAC membership adopted the proposed Annual Goals and Actions, Annual Operating Budget, and Annual General and Transportation Dues Schedule at their, November 17, 2011, WSAC Annual General Membership Meeting.

Highlights for the approved 2012 Operations Budget include::

• Use of less than 1% ($5,500) of cash reserves to fund operating and capital purchase activities;
• 1.8% increase in general and transportation dues, $16,000 and $4,000 respectively;
• Maintains general dues collection at a level lower than that in 2004;
• Increase affiliate dues to match increase in applicable payroll/benefit costs, $2,000;
• New contract funding for Transportation in the 2011-13 biennium, we estimate $84,000 in net revenues to WSAC;
• 2% ($19,800) staff cost of living adjustment;
• Medical benefits estimated increase at 9.75% ($19,000). Employee contributions remain the same for individual and family rates;
• 8% ($5,500) Washington Counties Building rent increase;
• 2011 Financial Audit added to budget, $15,000;
• Bill IT staff efforts to applicable partners and affiliates;
• Continue to monitor member and staff travel costs closely and find savings where possible;
• Continue to improve technology infrastructure.

Resources

Approved 2012 Annual Operating Budget and Goals, Special Fund Budget, General and Transportation Dues Schedule

WSAC membership approves update of 2011-2012 Legislative Agenda

At the WSAC Annual Membership Meeting, members accepted the recommendation of the WSAC Legislative Steering Committee (LSC) to update WSAC's 2011-2012 Legislative Agenda.

Included in this update were strategies and priorities associated with reducing the state budget and state shared revenues with Washington's Counties. 

2011-2012 Adopted Legislative Agenda - updated

WIR decides on annual priorities

Submitted by Commissioner Ron Walter, Chelan County Commissioner and WIR President

During the WIR Fall Board of Directors meeting, the board discussed and identified its top priorities for the following year. These priorities can be summarized as follows: 

Western Interstate Region Board of Directors - Top Priorities

1)    Education - The WIR Board of Directors has concluded that a significant educational gap exists between lawmakers and the public about the unique policy challenges facing western counties. The WIR will work to develop new advocacy techniques designed to better communicate to an ever changing constituency. 

2)    Maintain Funding for PILT and SRS - The WIR will work with NACo and coalition partners to advance legislation to maintain mandatory funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes program and provide a multi-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program. 

a.    PILT compensates counties for tax-exempt federal land within their boundaries. Full funding for the PILT program will expire following the FY 2012 payments to counties.  Congress needs to authorize and fund the program for FY 2013 and beyond.  

b.    Reauthorization should maintain coupling between payments to counties and active natural resource management; and the connection between sustainable natural resource management and the stability and well being of forest counties and communities.  

3)    Regulatory Relief and Economic Recovery-  Numerous regulatory actions have been recently proposed that could pose significant new burdens on western counties and present significant economic challenges to their communities. Such regulatory proposals include stormwater runoff, EPA Boiler MACT, EPA/Army Corps of Engineers draft guidance on Waters of the U.S., and the USDA Forest Service Planning Rule. The WIR will work with Federal agencies to modify regulatory proposals to be consistent with the needs of western counties and to compliment rural western economies. 

4)    Oppose Top-Down Federal Land Use Decisions - NACo should oppose Federal land-use designations that lack endorsement of the affected state, county, tribal and local governments. NACo encourages Congress and federal agencies to fully consult and confer with affected local governments as early as possible when considering special use designations such as Wilderness, National Parks, Monuments, National Heritage Areas, or other designations that affect the use and status of public lands in the United States.

Commissioner Peter Goldmark urges Governor to distribute $10 million to counties

Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark has proposed releasing $10 million from a state forestland management account for distribution to 20 timber counties.

Grant opportunity announced by Ecology

If the applicant is addressing another source of PAHs, the applicant must explain how the inputs from those sources compare in magnitude or importance to woodstoves/fireplaces and creosote-treated wood.

 
Ecology has up to $834,387 available for the PAH grant program.  Guidelines for the grants and application forms are available on Ecology's website.  Applications must be received by Ecology by 5:00 pm on February 3, 2012.