By Victoria Fowler
Gazette Reporter 

Whitcom panel eyes strategic planner hire

 

December 19, 2019



At Monday’s commissioner workshop, Commissioner Dean Kinzer, who also serves on the Whitcom executive board, reported on the discussions from Friday’s Whitcom finance meeting.

Whitcom is the regional emergency dispatch center. Dispatch services cover seven counties in Washington and Idaho.

Kinzer explained at the Friday meeting it was suggested to bring in an outside company to do strategic planning for Whitcom. He noted that this most likely would be brought before the full Whitcom Board at its Wednesday meeting.

“They are proposing to bring in a company to do strategic planning for $40,000. I said that is a lot of money for a strategic planning session,” Kinzer said.

“They want to split it three ways between Washington State University, City of Pullman and Whitman County, which means we would be having to pay $13,333.”

The company that is being proposed for the strategic planning is BDS Planning and Urban Design. BDS, based in Seattle, is now working on the Downtown Plan for Pullman.

“Part of the issue I’m having is paying that much for a strategic plan,” Kinzer said.

Commissioner Michael Largent added that something needs to happen no matter what in regards to long-term strategy for Whitcom.

“All I can tell you is if you don’t have someone doing it, you sure need someone doing it, even if it’s going to cost to hire somebody,” Largent said. “In my opinion, I’m skeptical of that much money being spent in a time of fiscal crisis. If in fact, the objectives of this contract are such that the end result is a sustainable plan and direction it would be worth every penny. I hope it is designed to actually accomplish something.”

Kinzer mentioned he has never seen a strategic planning session cost this much. He said he hasn’t seen one over a couple thousand dollars.

“Three entities, WSU, City of Pullman and the county are each currently contributing $250,000 a year to Whitcom,” Kinzer noted.

Whitcom funding has been a continual issue in the county. It was previously reported the current year project in for Whitcom funding would be $677,000. That is 56 percent of what Whitcom received in 2016 which was $1.2 million.

 

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