HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 8 19962
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WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
Finance and Administrative Services Committee
November 8, 1996
The meeting was called to order at 11:34 a.m. by Committee Chair Robert Imhof in the
Council Committee Room, 311 Grand Avenue.
Also Present:
Marlene Dawson
Absent:
Tom Brown
BUDGET REVIEW FOR THE PROPOSED 1997 BUDGET: SUPERIOR
COURT /CLERK AND DISTRICT COURT/ADULT PROBATION (AB96 -367)
15 Staff Also Present:
16 Dave Wareing, Executive's Office
17 N.F. Jackson, Superior Court Administrator /Clerk
18 Fred Thomspon, District Court Probation
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20 Superior Court/Clerk. Dave Wareing, Executive's Office, gave background information
21 on additional service requests of approximately $496,000, some of which were additional full time
22 employees (FTEs), as well as an additional imaging project. Administration brought forward the
23 recommendation to increase miscellaneous accounts for $50,000 to handle the anticipated
24 additional workload.
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26 N.F. Jackson, Superior Court Administrator /Clerk, stated that the greatest cost overrun in
27 1996 was the conflict indigent defense services, which include high visibility trials. Four of the
28 nine high profile trials will carry over into 1997. There are still three murders and a major civil
29 case scheduled for January/February. Imhof stated that the current plan is to request $50,000 and
30 see how far it goes.
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32 Wareing stated a one -time proposal for $50,000 has been recommended, which would be
33 used for criminal justice database integration. Since the judges do all their clerical services
34 themselves, they need to be networked and given new computers, as they are currently using
35 PC 286's. Imhof asked if it was a good idea to tie in with the possibility of upgrading the Law
36 Library so the judges can network and do their research. Jackson stated that most of the
37 information in the Law Library is available in software. Wareing noted that the Law Librarian has
38 been directed to request the Prosecuting Attorney to research with Information Services the
39 availability and utilization of a jukebox system for CD -ROMs. This information will be brought
40 forward at Friday's (November 15) meeting for the committee's consideration. Imhof stated that
41 the County also needs online access, not just on CD -ROMs. There was further discussion
42 regarding restructuring the Law Library and software.
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Finance Minutes, 11/8/96, Page 1
I Wareing discussed reinstating a computer panel or committee to ensure that the upgrades
2 the County wants to do in the long run are done the right way.
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4 Wareing complimented Jackson for being conservative and circumspect in his budget and
5 putting forth many ideas to accomplish various tasks more efficiently; i.e., he is working with the
6 state court system to make the County a pilot community to build a system to process all
7 information regarding the criminal justice system through the AS /400 for all County law
8 enforcement agencies, as well as the County criminal justice system. This idea would enable the
9 County to perform its duties much more efficiently and effectively.
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11 Imhof asked about imaging court documents. Discussion followed with Wareing
12 responding. Dawson asked if the County would get requests from other counties to use the
13 system if the funding from the pilot project system is obtained. Jackson responded by stating that
14 someone would upload into the County system and obtain information. Also, another project is
15 the electronic filing of court documents. The pilot program would include a Supreme Court
16 sanction not requiring keeping paper copies of all documents. Imhof stated that now the County
17 has a bit of reserve, he hoped the County moves forward with projects to bring the County online
18 and into the 20th Century. Jackson mentioned that the database integration is system wide and
19 will take a significant effort. Also, he suggested there is a less expensive way to provide conflict
20 indigent defense. Currently, his office is paying attorneys $60 per hour. He suggested
21 commissioning an analysis to find out the true financial costs in order to make cost effective
22 decisions. Wareing stated that they already have numbers on financial costs and will bring it .
23 forward next Friday (November 15).
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25 Imhof stated that next Friday at 12:15 p.m. discussion will take place with the
26 Administration regarding changes recommended by the Council, other issues to be addressed by
27 the Council, and other issues that have come forward during these budget meetings.
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29 It appears to be less expensive to hire a parallel independent public defender. Jackson
30 stated that his office is currently paying Guardian Ad Litem $45 per hour. Staff can currently do
31 the same work for half the cost. It bears analysis to examine the alternatives of providing this
32 service. There is an effort under way to seriously reexamine and redesign how domestic matters
33 are handled. A recommendation may come forward to move for a volunteer Guardian Ad Litem
34 program, which will have hidden costs, but has been in place in other counties and is an option.
35 Lastly, there is an idea of a self -help center, which would be a place the public could go to pick up
36 do- it- yourself forms and information to handle many different court- related functions.
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38 District Court. Wareing stated that the courts have been circumspect regarding their
39 budget process; they run a lean operation. There are a limited number of requests from the
40 District Court. There is a recommendation for a shared resource from District Court and District
41 Court Probation for telephone and line charge increases. Also, another recommendation is for a
42 new fax machine, the cost to be shared between District Court and District Court Probation.
43 There will also be an upgrade in the type of line to run the different kind of fax machine..
Finance Minutes, 11/8/96, Page 2
I Adult Probation. Wareing stated that there are some contracts that are being worked on
2 with other County criminal justice departments. Requests from this department include: computer
3 equipment upgrade, and upgrade a probation officer by 0.4 to a 100% FTE. It would be
4 appropriate for the Executive to talk with the Council regarding FTE positions that are not funded
5 through the County.
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7 Imhof discussed the possibility of combining different departments, such as Probation and
8 Jail. Wareing replied that the Administration is currently looking at restructuring certain
9 departments. There is also a request for various supplies to support the various contracts. The
10 Administration is recommending the computer equipment, the fax machine, and additions to
11 various supplies to back up the contract. Imhof reviewed that all the requests are recommended
12 except the additional 0.4 FTE, which may be added later.
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14 Fred Thompson stated that he encourages the Council and the Administration to work out
15 a way to consider the addition of FTEs, as they are required by contracts through creating a
16 separate cost center. FTEs funded by grant funding should be considered separately from regular
17 County - funded FTEs. He also stated that the department needs to lower caseloads. Probation
18 fees have been doubled in an effort to raise more funds to fund additional FTEs. He asked the
19 Council to look at these additional funds as a source to fund additional FTEs to lower the
20 caseload.
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22 Wareing stated that he will also be bringing forward on Friday additional adjustments
23 requested by the Council. Imhof noted his list of additional adjustments included: theater
N request; court commissioner salary; Nooksack Steering Committee; Whatcom Water Management
25 Plan; the Conservation Futures Tax; and the flood tax. Wareing stated that he will provide the
26 committee with options on these issues. Imhof then stated he hoped that on Friday there is a
27 complete package to present to the Council for the hearing.
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ADJOURN.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:27 p.m.
Jill Nixon, Recording Secretary
ATTEST:
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ON
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Finance Minutes, 11/8/96, Page 3