Within minutes Thursday, August 12, the Washington County Board of Supervisors passed, then re…

By Mary Zielinski (free-lance)

Within minutes Thursday, August 12, the Washington County Board of Supervisors passed, then rescinded a Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) resolution.

“There has been considerable misunderstanding regarding the resolution,” said Board Chairman Robert Stout, explaining that approval, then disapproval was needed to eliminate the resolution that had called for a seven-year period, rather than the five years recommended by the Citizens Public Safety Study Committee (CPSSC). The resolution had called for an effective period of January 1, 2000 through January 31, 2006.

One of the key concerns is that a five-year period may not be sufficient to cover both the estimated $5 million cost and the attendant financing and bonding charges for a new Washington County Safety Center.

In fact, the CPSSC met Tuesday, August 10, to discuss costs, as well as the means of promoting the LOST issue to county voters.

At that time, the committee adopted a resolution recommending $5,004,965 to the supervisors as the total project cost. That includes $4.5 million for the new building. Some $440,000 is to purchase new communication equipment and an approximate $48,000 is to cover relocation of the sheriff’s office during construction. The new center will be built on the site of the existing facility.

The supervisors were to meet with Attorney Robert Josten at 5 p.m. Tuesday, August 17, to clarify bonding issues, especially costs. (See page 3 for the story about the meeting.)

“We need to know that the county has the funds available to sell bonds,” said Stout.

He stressed that both the board and the study committee needs to coordinate efforts to bring the LOST issue to a “successful conclusion.”

The measure goes to the county voters November 16.

In the meantime, the CPSSC will continue efforts to promote the election. A committee meeting is set for August 23 at 7 p.m. in the supervisors office at the county courthouse.

Members of the Washington City Council’s Finance Committee attended the Thursday’s meeting, asking if the project would be through the county’s general fund bonding.

“Yes,” said Stout, explaining that the “major contribution to it would be from LOST.”

The committee members and Washington Mayor Ed Brown, noted that wording of the resolution will be important, especially if it passes in some parts of the county and not others. A majority of the county’s municipalities is needed for successful financing of the Center.

Stout said that “if it is rescinded within ten days (of the election), it will not go into effect.” Otherwise, it must be in effect for one quarter, he said.

He also told the finance committee members that no county funds will be spent on the project until after the election. The only funding that had been spent was last year to do preliminary planning. The LOST election that went to the voters last August was defeated countywide. Unlike the previous election, however, the resolution will call for all of the LOST funds to be used to finance the Center and to retire the debt in a shorter period.