Public Works director explains tax money use

COLFAX — A letter to the editor in last week’s Gazette about spending a levy increase drew a response from Whitman County Public Works Director Mark Storey.

He talked to county commissioners about it at a workshop Monday.

“I have no problem taking criticisms for my decisions,” Storey said.

Letter writer D.W. McCall, of Farmington, questioned expenditures and a lack of gravel on gravel roads following the approval of a road levy increase in November 2019.

“Number one, nobody got raises, nobody got bonuses, the revenue can only go to roads,” Storey said.

The levy was raised and increased the rate of county property tax collection from $1.45 to $2.25 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. For example, for a house valued at $200,000 its property tax went up $160.

Whitman County receives two-thirds of its funding from the state gas tax and one-third by the levy. With the increase, the county raises an additional $1.4 million per year.

For three years before the levy increase, the county spent from its reserves in the road department of public works.

Storey explained how the new revenue is being used.

A month ago he increased the materials budget by $50,000 for each of the three county road districts “with the intent on getting gravel on gravel roads,” he said.

McCall questioned the intent to add three equipment operators to the road department using the levy increase.

The county hired them in December 2019, before the levy took effect. The property tax collection followed the next spring. Subsequently, three other operators left employment and the county has not re-filled the positions.

“We did that because of the drop in gas tax after COVID,” Storey told the Gazette on Tuesday. “I want to increase staff as soon as we feel comfortable.”

He told the commissioners, “We are looking carefully and very conservatively at (adding personnel).”

After the levy increase passed, Storey authorized $300,000 in added rock crushing to create gravel for roads.

The county retained two older road graders, instead of replacing them with new ones, which was part of the plan for new levy money. Maintenance costs on the old graders increase as use continues over time.

Commissioner Art Swannack said he heard compliments in the St. John area about roads being graded and graveled that had not been done in a long time. He also said he heard people’s underlining concerns about less public works road money due to a drop in gas tax revenue during the pandemic.

More rock-spreading operations are scheduled for the fall.