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Public services asks commissioners to authorize reappraisal of Cowlitz County headquarters landfill
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Summary
Public services presented a 2017 Moss Adams appraisal valuing the headquarters landfill at about $117 million and asked for approval to commission a certified reappraisal (staff estimated prior appraisal cost $40,000 and a 3—4 month turnaround) because CPI-based estimates put the 2025 value near $139 million and could increase annual lease revenue by under $1 million.
Mike Moss, public services director, told commissioners the county has a 2017 Moss Adams appraisal that placed the headquarters landfill value at about $117,000,000 and that finance has been using CPI to update that figure. "Back in 2017, they valued the headquarters landfill at $117,000,000 plus," Moss said, and staff provided a CPI-adjusted estimate for 2025 of roughly $139,000,000.
Moss said the landfill pays lease payments into the general fund that are limited by the site's appraised value and that reappraising would give the county a certified valuation to use for budgeting. Commissioner Sean Roehway explained the valuation method: the county multiplies a per-cubic-yard value by remaining cubic yards, and noted remaining volume has fallen from about 48 million cubic yards in 2017 to about 43 million cubic yards recently.
When asked about the cost and timeline for a new appraisal, staff said Moss Adams charged about $40,000 in 2017 and that a new appraisal would likely take about three months. Board members asked whether the updated valuation would materially change revenue; staff estimated the difference versus current collections could be "a little under $1,000,000" annually.
Moss asked for a 'green light' or board nod to proceed with reappraisal work so the county could have updated numbers for the 2027 budget cycle. Commissioners discussed the request and clarified mechanics of the valuation; no formal vote was recorded in the transcript during this meeting.
The public services office will proceed with steps to procure an updated, certified appraisal if the board formally approves the expenditure and timeline in a future recorded action.
