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Spokane County approves higher per‑acre assessment to bolster noxious weed program
Summary
The Spokane County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an amendment to county code to raise certain noxious weed assessment rates, increasing Class 1 rates from $0.12 to $0.15 per acre and keeping Class 3 parcels at $0.00, to support year‑round staff, equipment and grant matching.
Spokane County commissioners on July 22 voted unanimously to amend Spokane County Code section 1.14.0.03 to raise assessment levels used to fund the county’s noxious weed program.
The change increases the Class 1 assessment from $0.12 to $0.15 per acre, maintains Class 2 at the proposed level discussed in the hearing, and leaves Class 3 (government-owned parcels, cemetery and irrigation districts) at $0.00 per acre. The board approved the amendment after a public hearing and a presentation from the Spokane County Noxious Weed Control Board.
David Mundt, coordinator for the Spokane County Noxious Weed Board, told commissioners the board pursued the change to make the assessment “as equitable as possible across the county” and that the rates had not been updated since 2014. Field specialist Thurman Johnson said the program can no longer sustain current service levels at the existing rates and emphasized the need to retain qualified staff year round: “Having staff year round is entirely necessary,” Johnson said, adding that year‑round staff allow projects “to completion, A to Z.”
Johnson and Mundt also told the board that dedicated program funds would allow the office to provide match for larger outside grants and to buy or share specialized tools and equipment. Paul Pulett, chairman of the Noxious Weed Board, said the board wants the office to be “a resource for our community” by coupling enforcement with outreach and partnerships.
Commissioners and staff clarified an item in the presentation: the proposed cents figure on a slide refers to a per‑acre rate, not a per‑parcel rate. Commissioner Jordan noted the public notice correctly listed the assessment as per acre.
The presenters described specific risks the program addresses, including invasive plants that damage infrastructure and pose health risks. Johnson cited myrtle spurge and leafy spurge as examples whose sap can cause severe skin burns and blindness if it contacts eyes; he also cited poison hemlock as a plant that can be lethal if consumed in sufficient quantity.
The board’s action on July 22 approved the code amendment as presented. The hearing record indicates the assessment structure and the county’s decision, but the transcript did not specify an effective date for the change.
For residents seeking details of the rate schedule and the board’s presentation, staff noted the Weed Board previously briefed the commissioners on June 24 and submitted recommendations on July 15.
