Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
Klickitat County Commissioners get an update on activities in
Olympia every other week when the legislature in session. Yesterday was one of those times, and their lobbyist Zak Kennedy has a refreshing candor about the process:
“It’s looking pretty ugly out there right now, in terms of where the money’s going to go, where to get the money. Of course, the governor did the road show, and told everybody, ‘We’re gonna get you funded this year. We’re gonna get this thing done.’ I’m sure that they’re really appreciating his commitment to fund everything but I don’t think it’s a reality.”
Several of the bills under consideration to constrain the power of locally elected sheriffs and control who would be allowed to run drew a dismissal from Sheriff Bob Songer, who had his own proposal:
“Here is my suggestion — ALL elected officials in the State of Washington, which would include the governor, the State Attorney General, and other elected officials: county elected officials, city elected officials, should be required to go through the background investigation, polygraph (lie detector testing), psychological testing, illegal drug testing. If individuals past all these testings, they would be allowed to file for elective office.”
And County Administrator Robb Van Cleave proposed three exemptions from the county-wide hiring freeze.
“I have three hiring freeze exemptions today before you. First one’s from the auditor for a payroll position. The other two are from Dispatch.”
And there may be more. In the afternoon session, he disclosed there might be a need for even more in dispatch.
“On the consent agenda today, you approved the vendor agreement to bring in temporary dispatchers. The basis of that is we get two full-time dispatchers for 8 months, or 4 dispatchers for 4 months, based on the hours. We may have to go to the four dispatchers for four months, and if things don’t get better, we may have to come back and extend the contract for another 4 months.”