RESOLUTION 2007 - 66

Skamania County Policy for Responding to Elimination or Significant Reductions of Secure Rural School and Community Self Determination Act Payments (County Payments)

 

WHEREAS, Skamania County has received an annual guaranteed federal payment as authorized by the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 since 2002 with the last payment being received in December 2007 or January 2008; and

 

WHEREAS, County payments account for approximately 27% of the overall Skamania County Budget and is equivalent to nearly 50% of the Skamania County Current Expense Budget; and

 

WHEREAS, the Skamania County Commissioners are actively working to gain reauthorization of the act upon which County Payments are based; and

 

WHEREAS, county employees and citizens are increasingly concerned about the effects on the County, its employees, and County quality of life should a loss of County Payments occur; and

 

WHEREAS, the previous and current Board’s of Commissioners have created Cumulative Reserve Funds in the eventuality of the loss of County Payments or other emergency; and

 

WHEREAS, the reauthorization may not occur until as late as October of 2007, if reauthorized at all, or may be greatly reduced; and

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners must complete a budget for the year 2009 by December of 2008; and

 

WHEREAS, the transitional planning from County Payments to a loss of these funds will be a long process, involving public input and should not occur under pressure, but through a reasoned course of action,

                       

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners adopts the following set of principles in the event that county payments are not reauthorized or are greatly reduced:

 

1.                  The Board resolves to fund the 2009 budget from Cumulative Reserves, as needed, to the level necessary to continue current programs without layoffs.

 

2.                  The Board resolves to begin immediately in 2009, or sooner if fate of the program is known, to conduct an internal and external public process, to clearly define the levels of service expected from and required of the County under a severely reduced budget.

 

3.                  The Board resolves to determine no later than June 2009 what lay offs will be necessary for the year 2010 and to make those notifications as soon thereafter as practicable to allow effected Employees time to plan.

 

4.                  The Board will continue to evaluate personnel reductions through attrition (vacant position resulting from resignation, termination, or retirement of an employee) as they occur.

 

Passed in regular session this 27th  day of December 2007.