March 5, 2012

Goal-Setting and Long Range Planning ~

The public expects county commissioners to influence the direction of county government, and the direction that the county takes through policy decisions will have an impact on the lives of its citizens.  Unfortunately, there is no cookbook approach for county policy-making. The key to successful policy-making is to "see the forest through the trees," and to keep in mind the mission of the organization and the long-range future of the community.

Gaining sufficient public, county official, and staff support for your effort is essential to effective policy-making. Setting goals or setting a course for action is an important tool for long-range policy making, and for determining the direction of the county organization. Whether it is land use, finances, or county facilities, decisions made by the board of commissioners will set the future direction for the county. It is essential to recognize competing interests and develop public and staff support by involving them and finding ways to incorporate their interests and ideas.

Please read my proposal below and tell me your ideas... thank you!

March 2, 2012

This week I proposed an idea for a part-time county administrator, the context of which reads as follows:

I have been reviewing the Prothman Report, the assessment that was the culmination of an investigation into the Public Works and Planning Departments by the 2006-2008 Board of County Commissioners. I have reviewed the report numerous times over the past three years. While there was strong disagreement among many, including myself, as to the validity, cost, even the necessity for the report, I have come to find it a very valuable tool for potential structural change in many of the areas it addressed. I have taken these recommendations to heart prior in making this report and subsequent proposal based on my first three years in office and 31 years of experience in public schools.

The current direction and function of the Public Works Department and its staff is proving to be invaluable, going far beyond the recommendations that were made. The current director, staff, and the department have become a model of efficiency and true TEAM dialogue over the last year. That is exactly what we set out to accomplish in 2009, but yet, we have not been able to achieve the same result countywide, in spite of the team building exercises we went through. That is not to blame any one or more person/s. Perceived agendas, politics, and turnover in elected officials, especially commissioners, prevents consistent policy direction and is something many in the county have identified as one key to long term success. This is exactly why many counties in the state have an administrative position. By having a single designee connected to the Board, other elected officials, department heads, and staff members, policy becomes more easily understood by all, the messages are consistently relayed, and transition is smoother. I would use the issues with the Teamster contracts, budget and personnel policy as prime examples where we need improvement in how we address them and how we communicate. I believe this is the direction for Pend Oreille County to take now, not later.

Again, in reviewing the recommendations of Prothman, it occurs to me that we could take the words Public Works out and begin working toward long term solutions and best business practices countywide, without spending a dime more from 2013-2017, and experiencing savings in both Current Expense/General Fund, as well.  

Refer to Prothman Recommendations:

#1 Well under way and meeting with phenomenal on-going success

#2 Has been addressed, conversed about, but no direction taken…

#3 Has been met and is beginning to show consistent progress and acceptability

#4 – 10 In process – exclusive to Public Works

#11 – A. Underway for 2012         B. Underway for 2013

#12-14 In process

#15 – Completed, on-going review

#16 – cost prohibitive in current economy

#17 – Budget Committee tasks continue to be inconsistent, misunderstood, and controversial, even among leadership

#18, 19, 21, 22 – On-going

#20 – Completed through .09 funding of employee working under EDC direction and through extensive collaboration of Community Development with other entities in the county on projects

Now, based on what I have observed and conversations I've been part of, we need to reevaluate how we function before we address the remaining 2012 budget and the 2013 budget any further. We need to restart that process with everyone's voice or ideas being offered, expressed, heard, respected… and on a level playing field.

As a Board, I believe we all agree with Recommendation #2, but, we have not looked at it seriously due to a number of reasons. We took direct department oversight and lost sight of each other's departments in the process. We have since used Board oversight, but it is not consistent either. We are fortunate that we now have good department heads, but they too, need consistent guidance and more importantly, a daily presence which we are unable to provide.   We owe them dialogue that creates a consistent message, through a neutral single voice, to ensure their success.

I am proposing, for the interim, we (the Board of County Commissioners) appoint Sam Castro as our Administrative Manager. By rearranging his Public Works Director duties, he would also retain oversight in that department. The management team he has put together in Public Works has demonstrated the ability over the last year to accomplish numerous tasks and would enable them to support him in this role. His team has successfully negotiated the road union agreement in timely fashion and along with the HR Coordinator has solved many long standing personnel issues. He is also prepared to tackle the Teamsters union negotiations. This showcases his abilities as a strong leader and manager and his 22+ years of experience is an invaluable asset that we and the county needs to capitalize on.  We would be foolish not to and we all know he loves the challenge! I believe with time, the oversight of all county functions under both elected and non-elected, would be viewed as far more consistent and fair from the inside out, due to his management style and emphasis on collaboration. 

For his part, I felt it would only be fair to discuss this concept and proposal with Sam first. Sam has indicated to me he would agree to this for the interim or I would not be proposing it. He has also agreed to retain his present salary through the end of this year, leaving the door open to the future.    Sam does not like to fail and I am confident he will use his skillset to bring us all together as a team. The model I envision going into 2013 could be more likened to that of the PUD and City of Newport. I am convinced this is the right thing to do… and the right time to do it.

Thank you for considering this, I look forward to our discussion ~

CC:         Pend Oreille County Elected Officials, Department Heads, Staff

This would not be a full time position, rather Sam would split his time between Public Works and the administrator position, assisting the commissioners with day-to-day operations in their absence and perhaps reducing the commssioner salary relieving the Current Expense fund, too.

February 24, 2012 

I see the article in the Feb. 22 Newport Miner regarding the county budget, that no reporter's name was attached. It was reported that after conversation with me, that the new budget committee is planning for the new round of anticipated state cuts. Their function as a committee is not yet clearly defined. The article also stated that the Board of County Commissioners may ask voters for a levy lid lift and a Communications Committee was assembled to help the public understand the measure. WRONG! 

First, the Board has not discussed a levy lid lift. 

Secondly, the Communications Team will be responsible for press releases and in-house communication. One meeting has been held and that prompted an informational newsletter which will appear monthly, on the home page of the county website, beginning in March. It will also be posted on the home page of county website. It will not be used as a tool for advocating a position. 

The Miner got one thing right. They placed quotation marks my statement; "It's not a pretty picture." If you reread the article, you will notice there are no quotation marks around other things I reportedly stated, suggested, suspected, etc. 

Does this mean the editor rewrote it to suit his own purposes? 

Step 2 is information gathering after a lively discussion... stay tuned as I hope to

February 7, 2012 

We have begun to review the 2013 budget through a committee that is already meeting. We know we will experience more cuts from the state this year and we anticipate it may be as much as $500K, which equals more staff reductions or reorganization now, in order to stay within budget at the end of 2012.

I am reviewing and preparing a report to the Board regarding the Prothman Management Assessment Report for Public Works and Planning that was done prior to my taking office. I want to make certain we have done all that was suggested to improve and streamline operations and to make certain we are practicing best management in all areas, including the budget, which was outside of that scope, yet identified as an issue. We have made significant progress in those two departments and it shows in a positive light with our staff, department heads, and in the community feedback we have received.

The Road Levy Shifts have been difficult decisions and we are at a point where we must look elsewhere to remain viable. What the outcome will be remains to be seen, but we must do more collaboration in-house to better understand the budget, how it works, and how doing one thing affects another~it takes time to really understand it and I am closer, but certainly still come up with question myself. The Auditor's staff is wonderful!

I'd say Happy Spring, but I don't wish for Phil to stay in his hole any longer than necessary. The recent sun has been glorious.

December 20, 2012 

As we enter the holiday season and the traditions that surround us, may you each find peace and happiness… always!

Diane

November 15, 2011

Just when we think we have upset the apple cart enough and are down to the last few pounds, the Governor's new budget comes out and we face new and deeper cuts. It has caused many sleepless nights. 

Understanding the county budget is not always easy… this fund can do this and not that, not be placed across the board-or maybe it can, hmmm-let's check that RCW! We are fortunate to have an Auditor's staff that understands and coaches us into compliance whenever we think we have come up with some keen new idea!

The hardest part for your other elected officials and department heads this year is that they were given bottom line figures after no new or innovative ideas came from our discussions and they have had to make their own adjustments-internally. That meant cutting staff and/or hours for almost everyone. There was no fair way to accomplish the task, given the RCWs we all follow, it has been a difficult decision-making process for them and the Board appreciates that, believe it or not! To their credit, they are very supportive of their talented staffs and knew they were positioned to lose some.

We will continue to make adjustments as necessary and fill in the gaps in service as best we can, too. Hopefully, the economy will turn around soon and the legislature will give us more flexibility, without giving us more unfunded mandates.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and let's try remember to be thankful for what we do have every day… a beautiful county, great communities and family and friends!

October 20, 2011

It's budget crunch time and once again, like the rest of the country, Pend Oreille County anticipates fewer revenues and increasing costs. I am certain you feel this at home, too, and that is just part of the reason we did not ask for a levy lid lift this year. While we are seeing a teeny-tiny amount of growth in the private sector, we haven't been the beneficiary in the public sector. 

Di

October 10, 2011

from the October 3, BOCC minutes regarding snowplowwing:

(14)

Sam Castro spoke about snow preparedness noting he has met with the School Districts and made it clear that the information through the Newport Miner regarding snow removal was not correct. He also mentioned having on-call mechanics for when there is an over-load or to cover for vacations. He viewed this as a first touch.  Sam also stated salt was received to mix into the sand stock. The Foremen have been designated snow removal routes. The District work schedules are posted two weeks in advance. He has initiated call back, bringing two employees back, returning early to begin grading roads as they are short staffed with vacations.

(15)

Sam Castro provided a Buildings and Grounds update, noting they are developing a matrix to identify replacement schedules for infrastructure, HVAC systems, water heaters and other items.  They have begun to advertise for an On-Call Buildings and Grounds Winter Staff person. Sam also mentioned receiving a progress report from Forester, Steve Gibson, pertaining to the Section 16 Timber Harvest, indicating a September 30, 2011 completion date.

September 6, 2011

The story in the Miner last week is a much different read from where I sit.  This story caused us to cancel our subscription, telling the editor that as paying customers, we can no longer support the style of story/reporting he "lives for" ~ his own words to me regarding another recent issue. 

If the article was indeed based on what they found in the "hundreds of emails" they perused, I'd say you can have confidence in your elected Board that we are doing the right thing!  Our correspondence is an open book.  It is available for anyone who asks for it and in a variety of formats...      

No one said this would be easy~

As we begin our formal 2012 budget discussions, there are some very difficult decisions to be made, just as the Public Works Department has done already. I am confident that we will make those decisions carefully, with as much input as we can gather, and we will make them together. It will require some difficult conversations to see what we can do better, and in some cases, it may result in less staffing. Many of our fellow counties did this in 2008-09. I feel we were fortunate to be able to keep staff employed by making minimal cuts, but now, it is our turn as the economy has not rebounded as we hoped it would. 

Coming into office in 2009, we worked with a budget less a $700,000 plus Road Levy Shift. Through diligent discussion, we have had shifted less each year. However, the cost to the condition to roads is beginning to show and we are now forced with looking at other means to fill the gaps and try to retain enough staff to operate efficiently and in some instances collaboratively between departments. This streamlined approach will make us a lean mean machine!

Much has been said about the technology the county has deployed. Again, a several year process came with those recommendations going forward. They allow us to meet the state mandates we work under for reporting, they make us more seamless in approach to business, they allow us to go out for contracts, and allow for support and collaboration with our partners in government here in the county and in the region. Again, unless you hear the details, please ask before you criticize. At the end of the day, we will save monies and we will be more efficient.

I served as your county representative to the Legislature the last two years as a member of the legislative Steering Committee.  There is much give and take on behalf of all counties for us to come to consensus on bills before us.  It is important to be "at the table" face to face with other commissioners and to talk personally with state legislators when they are in Olympia and that requires at least one of us to be there, too.  I am honored to have been that person and going forward in 2012, Commissioner Merrill will take that position for the next two years, as we agreed.  For a full report on the session, follow this link: link

As your commissioner, I invite you to share your ideas with all of us and hope that you will send them to us at commissioners@pendoreille.org

Di

April 26, 2011

It has been a fast paced legislative session this year, with budget issues taking precedence over any bill that was put forward and there were over 2000 at the beginning of the session. The Regular Session ended and the Special Session that no one wanted began today. There are still several hundred bills tied to the budget that have not been dealt with yet. 

WSAC Legislative Steering Committee was an experience I hope to have again. By being the official spokesmen on the hill for county interests statewide, we are able to access legislators with a collective voice and carry that voice right into our own county scenarios, to exhibit how bills and budget matters affect us at the local level. If we sent one message this year, it was that counties need flexibility to manage funds at the local level.

I will continue to co-chair the sub-committee for Health and Human Services with Commissioner Marc Boldt from Clark County. Our committee focus this session was on mental health funding and reorganization coming from Olympia. We will now look forward to how all providers of health care can better work together and more collaboratively. It will be a daunting task going forward, but Washington State is a leader in the health field and we are again, determined to serve the best interest of counties and to take the time necessary to get it right.

As the County Centennial Celebration nears, we hope you will stop by the County Seat on June 1 and join us in the festivities from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. Of course, the Centennial is being celebrated at nearly every event in the county this year and we will have souvenirs available at all of them. We also have created a Centennial Blend Coffee that is available at many businesses, the PUD, and at the County Commissioners Office in Newport. It is quite nice and makes a fine gift-stop by! It is available in whole bean, ground, and decaf.

As we enter the second half of the year, the budget issues do not appear to improving as quickly as we'd hoped, but we know we are not alone. Understanding the pockets of monies and how they can and cannot be used or distributed is confusing. If we could just "lump" it all into one pocket and divide it up, we would. It doesn't work that way, though!

Happy Spring~

Di

A look back at Pend Oreille County's year

As 2010 comes to a close, Pend Oreille County had ups and downs much like those reflected on the national scene. Declining revenues affecting already reduced budgets and a bleak economic picture going did not look promising. Nonetheless, we were able to take a property tax road levy shift $100,000 less than in 2009 and in 2011, we will take another $100,000 less.

To take less of a shift of property taxes over a three-year period in times like this shows us that we are being good stewards of your tax monies. Not many other counties in Washington state have fared as well as we have. Most have experienced much deeper cuts and staff reductions. We asked fellow Pend Oreille elected officials and our department heads to look closely at every aspect of their operation and directed them to trim, and trim, and trim again. They have done it and we firmly believe the county will come out of the recession stronger and more cohesive as a group.

After a long and at times very frustrating process, we settled the Seattle City Light impact agreement without going to arbitration, but, not without some up front cost. We used professional services from two Seattle firms who work with these agreements every day and who were well connected with the energy business.

Some have questioned our use of professional services, but if you understand that our agreement is much stronger than it ever has been, and as we learned and worked our way through the legislature, these same professionals became very instrumental in what we achieved, well beyond the settlement.

The change in the former law alone, that allowed municipal utilities to withhold payment pending agreements, will never again negatively affect any county in Washington state and we are very proud of that accomplishment. It took a village both in and out of the legislature and on both sides of the aisle to see it to fruition.

The past year also saw the resignation of our public works director and a lengthy interim process to replace him. We appreciate the staff of public works more than any words can express. They are a much stronger department now and we all look to the future with great anticipation under our new director.

Economic development in Pend Oreille made strides in 2010, with both small business and tourism/recreation benefitting. While it may look small in terms of real economic growth, it is of the sustainable kind and will help to recruit new business in the future.

The Community Indicators project will continue. It is a tool for recruiters, realtors, business and people looking to relocate. Also, high speed Internet continues to come into areas not previously served and that is key to promoting and attracting business, as well.

In 2009, we were told by the state not to expect the economic picture to improve until 2012 and we regret having to make some of the program cuts and layoffs that occurred as a result of declining revenues. We are trying to "stay in the present" in our conversation and decision making; to not digress to what used to be. Only by doing that can we identify problems, better analyze the differences and open up to better options in order to tackle today's challenges. We are not afraid to have difficult conversations and we have learned that they reveal much about those we have them with. More often than not, we come to some understanding, though not necessarily agreement. We plan to continue those conversations when and where appropriate, and in town halls and community meetings again in 2011.

More importantly, the decisions we make will not be made alone, although we will take full responsibility for them. We will continue to be guided with input from staff, other elected officials, department heads, with citizen boards and citizen input, even with input from fellow commissioners in other counties, and outside professionals if and when it becomes necessary. We will continue to look at each and every issue in its own context and act accordingly.

We are very grateful to the citizens who sit on our county boards and committees and we remain committed to utilize them constructively. To just say thank you is not enough. Above all, we all thank you, the citizens and voters of Pend Oreille County, for the opportunity to continue to serve you and this beautiful place we call home.

As Chair of the Board, I thought I would share the latest staff news letter with you.  It follows:

The Board is working hard to make certain the budget is balanced and that core services remain intact for the citizens of the county. This is one of the primary tasks every year and it is one that everyone watches closely. We know that the cuts are going to be deep and almost every department and the community itself will feel the effect. Revenue projections are down again, as they were predicted to be last year, and we do not expect to see any significant changes until 2014… after we were told 2012 last year.

As an informed voter, you know the national, state, and county budgets are all seeing less revenue projections in the coming years, too. This forces us to look at what is considered essential service and to provide only what is required of us. Government backed programs are many and many of them are very good… it is hard to cut monies that affect lives and property, especially those of our children and future generations, but, staffing all positions also requires funding which escalates continually. It is a delicate balancing act to fund and staff at current levels, especially when you do not have the levity to just throw the monies all into one pot and use them as you please. 

We will be asking the unions to open their contracts again this year, for now the request is to forego COLAs. Beyond that, we are forced to "consider" looking at staff cuts. It is important for you to realize that no decisions have been made yet… we are continuing to massage the budget and we have already asked all departments to reduce their budgets by 15%. Please bear with us a few more weeks as we sort it out with each department, to see where we might be. Check with your elected official or department head to see if they have met with us yet, to get more information on what was discussed during their tabletop discussion.

Today, we met again with the PUD regarding the Milfoil Program. We cannot continue to provide sustainable funding as we have in the past. In order for you to hear it from us first, we spoke of potential Public Works staff layoffs during that meeting and we will continue talking with the union, too, as we renegotiate the contract that expires in December. The most important thing to remember is that no final decisions have been made on Road Crew staffing, to date. If you have questions or read/hear otherwise, please feel free to call any one of us or Sam Castro for clarification of what exactly was discussed. If you have ever played the grapevine or telephone game where you "repeat" what was said to you and pass it on, you know that the message is usually completely different by the time the game is over… so, get the facts and just the facts from the source. Thank youJ

Public Works Director Sam Castro is on board and is leading the county negotiation team for the Road Department , too. Sam brings a wealth of experience to Pend Oreille and for those of you who did not know it, Sam and his wife have owned property here for quite some time and are anxious to settle in. We would like to acknowledge the entire staff in the Public Works Department for their performance in light of on-going assessments and some controversy. They have been on quite the rollercoaster ride over the last three years and have come out stronger… thanks, PW Staff!

We recently signed a new ten-year agreement with Seattle City Light for impacts of the Boundary Dam. This agreement was long overdue and the Board took a calculated risk in pushing forward, using a consultant. We feel it was money well spent and that having a consultant familiar with the utility and in the City of Seattle was necessary. The $7.7 million dollars increase from the 1999 agreement was the proof in the pudding, if you will, that we made the right decision. Arbitration was just too risky even though we felt we had a strong case.  Many thanks and kudos to the Pend Oreille County Team led by Commissioner Laura Merrill, and including Bob Royer-Gallatin Group, Nancy Lotze-Selkirk Schools Superintendent, Tammie Ownbey- County Clerk and Tom Metzger-County Prosecutor, for their efforts in a very long and arduous process! 

In closing, much has been said about the spending for consultants, professional services, etc., but, our eyes were trained to look at last, this, next year and beyond. In many other counties, county managers or administrators advise on these types of decisions and lead the discussions, too. As a Board, we felt we did not need to take that step, we just needed stronger department leaders.  We are already realizing positive and money-saving results from those professional services investments and expect that we will continue to see similar results down the road. We hope you realize that, too.  I like to compare it to pulling your own tooth vs having it repaired by a dentist or performing your own surgery.  I choose the dentist, thank you!   

Just this past week we met with other elected officials, Department Heads, and county coordinators to begin preliminary budget discussions for the 2011 budget. We started by reminding them that the "big" picture is not expected to show improvement until 2012 and that, unlike many other counties last year, we were able to balance without significant loss of staff. Of course, reduction in work force is the last option we wish for, but unless we can reduce the overall budget by at least 15% (our projection); we will have to reduce force. 

To their credit, the officials reduced nearly every facet of their budgets last year. This year, we are asking them to look first at the Priorities of Government in their mandatory and discretionary funding. We have requested them to give us feedback on those items for all departments, not just their own. We've asked them for their creative ideas on how best to cut and continue serve the constituents at acceptable service levels… and we ask the same of YOU! Please write or email us at commissioners@pendoreille.org .

Yesterday, I spent the day in Olympia while the Joint Finance Committee met with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) and Department of Revenue (DOR). The reports were encouraging in spite of the May-June downturn in the economy. It is felt those downturns are due to the situation in Greece and will improve again after July. When you look at "actual/factual" grids and reports, the picture is much better, albeit still a deep recession. 

However, my reason for attending was not for these reports. It was to listen to an OFM report regarding PUD/public municipal utilities and potential tax legislation. There is no common practice or denominator in how these public entities are taxed "in lieu of property taxes" which has been part of our frustration with the Seattle City Light negotiation. We are very interested in any legislation going forward that resolves this permanently, by law. There should be no disparity between how power generation utilities are taxed, private or public. They are all making a profit that needs to be shared with their hosts. I will keep you posted on any legislation going forward and as a member of the Washington State Association of Counties Legislative Steering Committee I will be in Olympia next session often on Pend Oreille's behalf.

Please try to attend one of the upcoming Shoreline Master Plan meetings. This county has many shorelines and the plan is designed to protect them for future generations to enjoy, as we do today.

Lastly, as wildfire has been identified as the number one hazardous threat to our county, please follow the Department of Natural Resources burning rules, which we also follow as a county. The rules can be found on the DNR website at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Pages/default.aspx .

Enjoy the summer weather~

Di

As we enter the planning phase of the 2011 budget year we are going to have to be very committed to the "priorities of government" when it comes to spending. With revenue projections being compared to a Nike "swoosh" it will be years before we see the revenue rebound to previous highs and actually, it may never again be the same in our lifetime.

We will focus on the services we absolutely MUST provide, then do the best we can to fund other programs that benefit our community. It may not appear at first glance that that is what we are doing, when you see us spending tax dollars on things like… consultants, but, we are determined to plan for the long term and using specialized consultants on occasion will pay off in the long term and in the bigger picture. They also bring experience, a unique and unbiased opinion!

To that end, we plan to approach the budget quite differently than has been done in the past and we began discussing how that might look today. Over the next few weeks, we will work with the Auditor, Treasurer and their staffs, to begin putting this puzzle together. We will include all other elected officials and department heads as soon as we can and will include staff along the way, too.

To update you on the Public Works Department, we will be reviewing applications for a new director next week. Twenty three applications were received. Having highly qualified department directors is imperative for long term success. We hope you will realize that and support us in that effort.

This weekend marks Independence Day which reminds us to honor the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's also become a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to proudly fly the American flag. Enjoy and celebrate safely.

If you ever have a question as to why we make some of the decisions we do… and we do know you question them at times, just ask us. What you read in the minutes is only a glimpse of the conversation behind the decision or discussion that was held.  We are all committed to making the best decisions possible.

Di