Asotin County OKs new budget

ASOTIN — Asotin County officials signed off Monday on a $43.7 million budget for 2025.

The projected numbers are almost $1 million above this year’s general fund operating budget because of cost-of-living raises, indigent defense, the new Asotin County Jail and liability insurance increases, said Chris Kemp, chief operations officer.

Asotin County employs an average of 120 full-time workers. Merit employees, who do not belong to a union, will see a 3% bump in their wages, and all other employees’ salaries will be set by their guilds.

Each December, government agencies throughout the region adopt budgets for the following year, based on workshops with elected officials and department heads, expense projections and anticipated revenues.

In Asotin County, Kemp said some of the biggest challenges on the horizon are ever-increasing wages, the state’s measly contribution to help fund mandated public defense attorneys, and the rising costs of insurance and criminal justice.

“It’s been, as usual, a very long budget session, and with increased expenditures, we aren’t seeing increases in revenue, which continues to be a challenge,” Kemp said.

In previous years, the county has shifted $600,000 from the road department’s coffers to help pay for general fund expenses. In 2025, the budget calls for a $500,000 transfer.

“Shortfalls in funding for projects, due to higher construction and professional costs” prompted the change, Kemp said. “The board of county commissioners is trying to help with shortfalls by reducing the shift. This will not cover the entire need of the road department, but it helps.”

A new $25,000 fund has been established in 2025 for the coroner’s office, which is now filled by Lisa Webber, office manager of the prosecutor’s office. Recent legislation allows counties with smaller populations to appoint coroners rather than electing one, which separates the duties from the prosecutor.

Property taxes will increase by 1%, which is the highest amount allowed by state law. The boost will bring $29,798 more to the general fund, $19,875 to the road department, $2,403 to flood control and $196 to rural emergency medical services, according to Kemp.

Based on the 1% increase, new construction is estimated to generate an additional $41,146 for the general fund, $17,901 to county road funds, $3,225 to flood control and $91 to rural EMS.

Following a lengthy number of budget-related action items, all three commissioners thanked Kemp and Gloria Hancock, financial analyst, for their hard work over the past few months.

In other county business:

The commissioners approved a long-plat application from Beau Duman to develop six lots at 1928 13th St. in Clarkston. Building official Karst Riggers said the land was previously declared a junk property, but it has been cleared of debris.

The large, white house, which was significantly damaged by fire, has been demolished, and numerous junk vehicles and garbage piles have been removed, Riggers said.

Duman, the new owner, intends to develop four building lots for duplexes or single-family residences in the residential portion of the property, and the front two lots will remain in the commercial zone for business opportunities. The Ohana ‘Aina subdivision garnered a 3-0 favorable vote.

Open burning will wind up this weekend in unincorporated areas of the county and the city of Asotin. Riggers, who also serves as the county’s fire marshal, said the fall burning session ends at 4 p.m Sunday.

After that date, yard waste can be taken to the Asotin County Regional Landfill for free-of-charge disposal until controlled burning begins again in the spring. So far this fall, the county has not received many complaints about opening burning violations, Riggers said.

Kemp said an active-shooter training drill at the Asotin County Courthouse on Friday afternoon was “intense” but successful. Law enforcement agencies from Asotin, Clarkston and the Asotin County Sheriff’s Office participated in the training, along with Whitcom, the region’s emergency dispatcher.

“All in all, I was very impressed,” Kemp told the commissioners. “It was a good exercise, and it went well. I think it was important training for our employees.”

Clarkston attorney Nick Ward was awarded a two-year contract for public defense. He will be paid about $150,000 a year to handle cases of defendants who cannot afford an attorney. The state of Washington is controlling the number of cases each indigent attorney can oversee, officials said.

The cost of sending juveniles to Martin Hall in Medical Lake is increasing from $220 to $250 per night, said Commissioner Chuck Whitman. Each of the nine counties who use the detention center has to cover the cost of a predetermined number of beds, whether they are filled or not, he said. Asotin County pays for a minimum of 2.5 beds per day.

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com.