Commissioners' session: Interest sweep, credit card charges on agenda

Whitman County commissioners discussed topics, like sweeping interest to the Public Works fund and adjusting credit card fees during a workshop session Monday morning.

Washington made changes several years ago to allow county commissioners to take interest of any account and deposit it in the general fund, said Public Works Director Mark Storey.

He said during that time the county general fund was in financial trouble, so the commissioners "swept" the interest revenue to go into the general fund.

“At one point back in our history, it was a big amount of revenue to the road fund,” Storey said.

He said last year in the fall the department realized they needed to better retain employees, and to do that they would need to pay them more.

Storey said now that the general fund is replenished and more healthy, the interest should return to the road fund, where it originally came from 10 to 15 years ago.

“The department heads have done a really good job of saving money, and now the general fund is much healthier than it used to be,” Storey said.

He said the Public Works department saw large expenses this winter due to snow removal and repairs, and the interest money should go back to Public Works.

The department is allowed to increase their revenue by one percent per year, but the cost of repairs and operating has risen to three to four percent, Storey said.

“If we want to retain the same level of service that we're doing to the roads, or improve the level of service, we're still going to have to look at a levy lift at some point very soon,” he said.

Commissioner Chair Art Swannack said the commissioners would like to hear a financial report before taking any action.

Janel Goebel, Whitman County fair manager, brought up discussion on how departments should include a fee when residents pay for county services with a credit card.

Swannack said there is a county policy that says unless the county is compelled to charge the credit card fee, residents are required to pay the full amount and have a fee separated from the payment.

Some exceptions include property tax and court fees, he said. He noted the county can either absorb the fee costs or departments can set fee rates that include the fee costs.

Goebel said the fair last year charged a flat rate of $2 for credit card payments because the system they use to collect funds operates in a specific way.

She pointed out there are many types of credit cards and their charges vary.

“More and more people are using plastic for payment, and there is a fee associated with that,” Whitman County Treasurer Chris Nelson said.

Creating a unified policy for credit card expenses was discussed, but the commissioners tabled the topic for the time being.