News Briefs

Tests reveal no contaminants in water

Cheney officials released a statement May 25 that tests on the eight municipal water system wells revealed no traces of the contaminants PFOS or PFOA. Higher than accepted levels of the two perfluoro compounds in wells in Airway Heights and areas southeast of Fairchild Air Force Base have led to shutting down the use of those wells and flushing procedures to clear the system of chemicals, forcing residents to use bottle water.

Despite being miles from the contaminants source Cheney Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the department received calls about the possibility of those compounds being in city water. City staff tested the wells on May 19 and received the results on May 25 from Anatek Labs in Spokane.

“As of now, we have no detection,” Ableman said.

Ableman speculated that in the future, it will probably be a directive from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and other departs to have municipal water systems tested periodically for the compounds.

Assessment notices delayed by shortages

Citing a shortage of appraisers, the Spokane County Assessor’s Office reports that the 2017 property tax assessments are behind schedule.

In a news release, Assessor Vicki Horton said the office is unable to complete the 2017 valuations in time to meet the statewide schedule for placing and listing property values, and sending the notices to property owners by the end of May or early June. Horton says that the assessment notices probably won’t be completed and mailed until September or October. Once property owners receive an assessment notice, they will still have 30 days from the postmarked date to file an appeal.

Chief Deputy Assessor Byron Hodgson says it’s difficult for county government to compete with the private sector in recruiting qualified appraisers.

“We’ve had eight vacancies in the residential appraisal section,” Hodgson said. “Six vacancies were created by employees who retired and took with them decades of experience.”

At full staff, the Assessor’s Office has 43 employees, including 14 residential, eight commercial and three personal property appraisers. The Assessor’s Office revalues real estate annually and physically inspects each property at least once every six years.