Any assessor who deems it necessary in order to complete the listing and the valuation of the property of the county within the time prescribed by law, (1) may appoint one or more well qualified persons to act as assistants or deputies who shall not engage in the private practice of appraising within the county in which he or she is employed without the written permission of the assessor filed with the auditor; and each such assistant or deputy so appointed shall, under the direction of the assessor, after taking the required oath, perform all the duties enjoined upon, vested in or imposed upon assessors, and (2) may contract with any persons, firms or corporations, who are expert appraisers, to assist in the valuation of property.

To assist each assessor in obtaining adequate and well qualified assistants or deputies, the office of financial management, after consultation with the Washington state association of county assessors, the Washington state association of counties, and the department of revenue, shall establish by July 1, 1967, and shall thereafter maintain, a classification and salary plan for those employees of an assessor who act as appraisers. The plan shall recommend the salary range and employment qualifications for each position encompassed by it, and shall, to the fullest extent practicable, conform to the classification plan, salary schedules and employment qualifications for state employees performing similar appraisal functions.

An assessor who intends to put such plan into effect shall inform the department of revenue and the county legislative authority of this intent in writing. The department of revenue and the county legislative authority may thereupon each designate a representative, and such representative or representatives as may be designated by the department of revenue or the county legislative authority, or both, shall form with the assessor a committee. The committee so formed may, by unanimous vote only, determine the required number of certified appraiser positions and their salaries necessary to enable the assessor to carry out the requirements relating to revaluation of property in chapter 84.41 RCW. The determination of the committee shall be certified to the county legislative authority. The committee may be formed only once in a period of four calendar years.

After such determination, the assessor may provide, in each of the four next succeeding annual budget estimates, for as many positions as are established in such determination. Each county legislative authority to which such a budget estimate is submitted shall allow sufficient funds for such positions. An employee may be appointed to a position covered by the plan only if the employee meets the employment qualifications established by the plan.

Effective date—Purpose—2011 1st sp.s. c 43: See notes following RCW 43.19.003.