NPC assessor closing in on longevity record

If he serves out his current term, Assessor Dan Anderson will become the longest-serving elected official in Nez Perce County history.

Anderson has been in office since 1988, when he was appointed to fill the position after the previous assessor retired. That gives him about 26 years on the job. That's nearly as long as Treasurer Frankie Pierstorff, who served 27 years, eight months and two days in the position, starting in 1948.

Anderson took the oath of office Monday. Other elected officials sworn in Monday included Commissioners Douglas Havens and Bob Tippett, Treasurer Barb Fry, Clerk-Auditor Patty O. Weeks and Coroner Gary Gilliam. All are incumbents who won re-election in November. At the end of the meeting, Tippett passed the gavel to Havens, who will serve as the chairman of the county commission for the coming year.

In other business Monday, commissioners unanimously approved changes to a memorandum of understanding with the Lewiston Orchards Irrigation District, the Nez Perce Tribe, the city of Lewiston and the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce regarding a new well system.

The entities reached an agreement in 2013 - called the Lower Clearwater Exchange - to replace the Craig Mountain runoff that supplies water to the Orchards with deep aquifer well water, and restore water rights and fisheries to the tribe. LOID Manager Barney Metz explained that a new water exchange appendix and a title transfer appendix lay out the plan for building the new wells and making the necessary transfers.

The Lewiston City Council unanimously approved the changes at a meeting later Monday.

A pilot well is under construction near the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport. Metz said that as of Monday, it was about 450 feet deep, with a target depth of 1,600 to 2,000 feet. The 38-inch-wide well will have a casing installed down to 900 feet to protect nearby wells that use a more shallow aquifer.

Up to four wells are planned, with hopes that they will generate up to 2.77 billion gallons of water annually. Metz said that amount will satisfy existing demand, and demand into the foreseeable future.

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Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2266.