The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON--The Columbia County commissioners continue to look at additional ways to streamline departments and budgets.

At last week’s regular meeting of the BOCC, Commissioner Norm Passmore said talks are underway to create one county-wide maintenance department.

The county does not plan to replace Parks and Recreation Manager Roger Trump when he retires at the end of 2017, so money for his wages and benefits would go directed to the newly created maintenance department, according to Passmore.

Having a maintenance department will increase efficiency and productivity and represents a cost savings to the county, as well, he said.

Talks continue about lessening the county’s financial burden at the fairgrounds and at the golf course, as well.

The county now subsidizes 75% of fairground and golf course operations, Commissioner Norm Passmore said.

“We have to look at a different business model,” he said.

Two possibilities are renegotiation of the 25% fee the county collects for the Dayton Country Club and raising yearly membership greens fees.

The state auditor has input into what the county should, or should not, be doing with regard to subsidization, according to Commissioner Mike Talbott.

The commissioners have approved a 2017 Fairgrounds Facilities Fee schedule for rentals at the fairgrounds. Fees will no longer be waived for groups using the Youth Building because the state auditor considers that as the gifting of county funds, Talbott said.