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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance October 29 1997WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL Finance and Administrative Services Committee PROPOSED 1998 WHATCOM COUNTY BUDGET October 29, 1997 The meeting was called to order at 11:30 a.m. by Committee Chair Robert Imhof in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue. Also Present: Absent: Tom Brown None Barbara Brenner Staff Present: Dave Wareing, Executive =s Office Robert Wagner, Budget Analyst Dave McEachran, Prosecutor's Office Marlene Dawson, Council member Kathy Sutter, Council member DISCUSSION OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE =S 1998 RECOMMENDED BUDGET (PROSECUTOR/LAW LIBRARY; PUBLIC DEFENDER; AND SHERIFF) Dave McEachran, Prosecuting Attorney, commented briefly regarding the format and the latest cases. He called attention to the increased caseload and the upcoming November election regarding Criminal Justice. His future primary focus is the juveniles. He spoke to the Executive =s Office recommendation regarding the $23,000 professional service line. A private lab handles the DNA cases, of which there are two types: RFLP and PCR. The County crime lab does not handle PCR; this must be sent to a private lab. Also included in the professional service line are extraditions, which were previously paid for by the state. The funds for this expense comes from the motor vehicle tax and has not been budgeted for. Unless these people are brought back to the County, charges are dismissed if it is an uncharged jailed defendant. Discussion followed on fugitive complaints (charged in another state and extradited to that state). McEachran requested an update on his computers from dumb terminals to personal computers. Also requested was $15,000 for the appellant attorney. These funds would allow his office to file briefs; his office is behind on these briefs. The Court of Appeals has warned him it will cease granting any appeal extensions (all counties). The city of Bellingham's taking over its own misdemeanors will allow reduction of his Budget Minutes, 10/29/97, Page 1 caseload (District Court only). He explained staffing. Also discussed was the need for a managing attorney, who also has a caseload. This is a supervisory position, which has already proved to be an asset. He will be supervising two attorneys. The revenue stream regarding Bellingham's takeover of its own District Court duties was then discussed. Approximately $250,000- 300,000 would be impacted in the District Court, Public Defender's Office, and Prosecutor's Office, as well as the jail and probation. Revenues must be found to cover those involved in the shift from the District Court reduction. Wareing pointed out the supervisory attorney in the Prosecuting Attorney's Office was hired due to Council's concern last year regarding McEachran's time involvement in the prosecution of cases and lack of management time. Next discussed was the Law Library. Requests included a merit increase; current subscriptions for the purchase of three CD ROM products; position increased to full time; and the state revenue timeline regarding the upcoming November election. Wareing stated there is adequate ongoing funding for the appellant briefing for professional services, which should be moved to the Arecommended= line (it should not be tied to the Criminal Justice Tax). Jon Ostlund, Public Defender, spoke to his department =s requests. He pointed out the Executive's Office will be recommending approval for six months of an eleventh attorney (full time) and has recommended approval for six months of a fourth investigator (full time). The Clerk IV position was not recommended. The eleventh attorney and fourth investigator positions are not new. He thought the funding should be for the full year due to the recent caseloads, which he addressed. Faster time is needed to send these cases through the court system, which creates more work for his office. He also spoke to extraditions, noting it is less expensive to extradite than prosecute. He clarified that although Bellingham will take back the new cases it handles in January, his office will pick up the probation violations. McEachran pointed out new cases will not be taken after December 31, 1997; however, all pending cases must be processed. Wareing pointed out that based on that contract with Bellingham, the County will be paid for any services provided by the County. Ostlund noted that due to the decrease in juvenile felonies, his office will be able to handle its caseloads plus Bellingham's cases. However, an attorney will be transferred in January from misdemeanor to felony. Although there has been this decrease in juvenile felonies, the caseload has increased 17% this year. He then spoke to the Clerk IV position, noting the increased workload for that position. Ostlund stated if the Criminal Justice Tax is approved by the voters, he will request this position be funded. The Blue Ribbon Panel's recommendation was pointed out: AIt is important to note Public Defender =s Office appears to operate without any direct outside supervisory controls. Budget Minutes, 10/29/97, Page 2 Decisions with regard to workload and use of outside counsel should be reviewed and approved by an objective body before the Public Defender =s Office is permitted ... =. Ostlund commented by stating he did not know where the Panel came up with that statement. He spoke to his accountability and stated that the Public Defender Advisory Committee, an oversight committee for all public defense, should be reactivated. There was discussion on this and the possibility of creating another branch of the Public Defender =s Office, the Internal Conflicts Office, which would probably consist of two attorneys and one secretary. Wareing also participated in this discussion by stating that although this would be experimental, it would be a Agood deal= if it pays for itself. Imhof stated further discussion would take place after Council has received Administration =s recommendation on this. In response to the claim that the Public Defender is funded too high and has too many attorneys, Wareing reported that he has evaluated the situation and found that this is not true. Wareing will contact the Blue Ribbon Panel members to determine the reason the above quote was put in that document. Wareing stated his office supports the recommendation of the continuation of the eleventh full time attorney for six months due to the present workload. This would be reviewed in six months for a full time position. (Clerk's Note: A short break was taken) Dale Brandland, Sheriffs Office, addressed his departmental requests, which included three budgets. He began with the jail budget, stating that the focus has been on the alternative program and equipment rental purchase. In particular, he spoke to the need for a senior program officer for the alternate program and a female officer for the jail. Brandland called attention to the accounting software for the AS 400 ($40,000), noting the details of the billing process are very cumbersome to the clerk and the computer process would greatly decrease the input time. Also discussed was the increase in the jail visiting nurse, which was underbid. Deane Sandell, Sheriffs Office, replied this increase was a maintenance cost. Brandland spoke to fees for the visiting nurse paid by the detainees. Significant progress has been made to find other ways to have others pay the bills; however, some items will be difficult to track. The alternate program from Security Specialists Plus (SSP) was noted as going very well. Some beds are empty now, as it is seasonal. Also discussed was the number of guaranteed beds; staff, especially the need for a female officer; females in the jail; the duties of the senior program officer; the need for a female officer in the jail; and replacement of damaged phones, which the County makes money from. The M & O equipment rental request is for one of the spare patrol cars. Paratransit vehicles, used for the work programs, will be available in January 1998. Additional female space regarding the proposed jail option was discussed. Brandland briefly addressed the increased number of juveniles and being segregated from adults by law (within sight or sound). Also, educational opportunities must be provided for these juveniles. Also discussed was the jail cost Budget Minutes, 10/29/97, Page 3 regarding the expansion of the current location and the mental illness section in the jail. Moving to the Sheriffs budget, Brandland stated accreditation would be a great benefit to the County, although it is much work. Topics discussed included: the need for improved communications /technologies; working with Bellingham regarding the technologies and various programs; drug funds; monies from intradepartmental transfers; plea bargains going into the drug funds; and dealing with the mentally ill in jail. Dan Fitzgerald, acting Jail Chief, commented to this issue regarding alternative treatment. Funding for this process of alternative treatment was discussed. Officer entry shield and restraint chair were also discussed. According to Brandland, Emergency Management is status quo. Wareing mentioned Administration recommends the boat patrol and 30 SSP beds be put back in the budget. There is funding (Drug Fund) for storage of the patrol boats /vehicles; this proposal will be before committee in the near future. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 1:20 p.m. Elizabeth Bennett, Recording Secretary ATTEST: WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON Dana Brown - Davis, Council Clerk Robert Imhof, Council Member Budget Minutes, 10/29/97, Page 4