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Cowlitz County reviews membership dues; commissioners agree to pay dues included in budget
Summary
Finance staff reviewed countywide membership dues (COG, Washington Association of Counties, Washington Association of County Officials, Cowlitz EDC, chambers and others). After discussion about value and efficiencies, the board directed staff to proceed with payment as budgeted.
Cowlitz County finance director Kathy Funk Baxter presented an itemized review of countywide organizational dues and sought direction to proceed with payment from the general fund. Commissioners discussed the benefits of the county’s memberships, asked for clarifications about services, and signaled agreement to pay the listed dues as included in the adopted budget.
Funk Baxter said the largest membership is the regional Council of Governments (COG) at $173,247 (this amount includes general dues, a one‑time assessment and grant‑match elements). She listed Washington Association of Counties dues at $45,246 and the Washington Association of County Officials (WACO) at $20,469. The Cowlitz Economic Development Council (CEDC) contribution is “a little over $19,000,” and smaller dues include the Kelso‑Longview Chamber of Commerce ($2,525) and other national or specialty memberships. Funk Baxter said the listed memberships total roughly $263,000 in annual dues and confirmed the amounts were included in the county budget.
Bill Fasching, director of the COG, described concrete services the COG provides: a medical rate stabilization pool (COG materials cited about $972,000 in cumulative benefit to participants since 2010), regional transportation planning and distribution of certain federal transportation funds, and coordination for economic development and community development projects. Fasching also explained that some federal funds managed by the COG flow through the organization as the designated metropolitan planning organization and that the COG helps make local jurisdictions eligible for U.S. Economic Development Administration funding by maintaining an economic development district and an associated comprehensive economic development strategy.
Commissioners probed how the county benefits compared with cities, asked whether the county receives “bang for the buck,” and discussed efficiency. One commissioner noted COG funds frequently benefit cities where population is concentrated; another stressed that the county routinely helps cities and publicly acknowledged that contribution. Board members asked whether organizations overlap in their duties and whether two statewide organizations (the Washington Association of Counties and Washington Association of County Officials) should consider consolidation to reduce duplication and costs; several elected officials present said affiliate associations value the services they receive.
Commissioner discussion reached a practical conclusion: keep the dues in the 2025 budget and proceed with payments. Funk Baxter said prior practice by the previous board directed that the counties’ membership payments be included in the budget and paid; commissioners present agreed to continue that practice. The board did not take a roll‑call vote on a motion; minutes reflect consensus direction to proceed with payment as budgeted.
Staff and presenters suggested follow‑up actions for commissioners who want deeper detail: arrange briefings with the COG on the COG’s transportation and medical‑pool programs; schedule demonstrations of WACO/WaSH affiliate services; and ask economic development staff for examples of projects advanced with CEDC support.
The meeting record shows no changes to the budget line items at this session; payment was authorized to proceed as part of routine disbursement from the adopted budget.
