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Public works seeks board approval to reappraise county headquarters landfill
Summary
Public services director Mike Moss told commissioners a 2017 Moss Adams appraisal valued the headquarters landfill at about $117 million and staff recommends a new certified appraisal (prior cost ~$40,000) to update the county's lease valuation and budgeting; staff estimated a potential undercollected annual rent of roughly $848,000 compared with CPI-adjusted figures.
Mike Moss, public services director, asked the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners to authorize a new certified appraisal of the county's headquarters landfill. Moss said a Moss Adams valuation from December 2017 placed the site at about $117,000,000 and that the county has been using CPI adjustments to estimate a 2025 value of about $139,000,000; those valuations determine the maximum annual rent the landfill remits to the general fund.
"Back in 2017, they valued the headquarters landfill at $117,000,000 plus," Moss said. He told the board a reappraisal would likely take three to four months and said the 2017 appraisal cost was about $40,000. Staff and a commissioner calculated that, based on the CPI-adjusted 2025 estimate, the county could be collecting up to roughly $848,000 more annually than currently recognized (figures discussed as "a little under $1,000,000").
Commissioners discussed declining remaining cubic-yard capacity (about 48 million cubic yards in 2017 to about 43 million in 2025) and how per-cubic-yard valuation affects the landfill's overall value and rent cap. Moss said the appraisal would provide a certified valuation the county can use for budgeting and to protect against audit questions. The board gave staff a green light to pursue a reappraisal; staff said they would return with details and an estimated cost and timeline for the formal procurement process.
