Largent will seek second term

Whitman County Commissioner Michael Largent announced Sunday his intention to seek a second term in office to a crowd of Republicans at the county GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner in Pullman.

Largent had previously declined to announce his intentions when asked by a Gazette reporter.

“The job of a county commissioner is not a flashy big picture position,” he said in an interview Monday. “It really is an organizational management job.

“This is indeed an everyman’s position.”

Largent, who resides in greater Dusty, represents Commissioner District 3, which includes Colfax and western Whitman County, on the county commission.

Tops among achievements of his first term, Largent pointed to the county’s recent submittal of its 2008 financial statement to state auditors. Completion of the financial report marked the first time in six years the county has done so.

Largent said an audited statement will give the county the opportunity to create efficiencies that will save administrative time and expense. He said he wants to continue in office to help develop those processes.

“That puts us in a new place where we can begin to think proactively about some new efficiencies,” said Largent.

One thing Largent was hesitant about was facing another year of tightening revenues.

The 2010 budget process was fraught with contention as department heads struggled to cut expenses to match falling income.

“The challenge is, if we continue in this economic malaise, we’re going to face some serious challenges in maintaining a level of service,” he said.

But he saw those challenges as an opportunity, quoting Stanford economist Paul Romer as saying, “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”

He said new accounting software and the financial audit should combine to lower operating costs.

He added the commissioners’ decision to commit county money to build infrastructure at Hawkins Companies’ proposed stateline stripmall would eventually augment the county’s revenue stream.

“That decision was not easy,” Largent said of the bond proposal. “But I really see it having a long-term payoff.”

Largent was elected commissioner in 2006, topping Democrat Nathan Weller to take the post made vacant by the retirement of Les Wigen.