HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 6 19952
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4 WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
5 Finance and Administrative Services Committee
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7 November 6, 1995
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9 The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Committee Chair Alvin
10 Starkenburg in the Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue.
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12 Also Present: Absent:
13 Ward Nelson None
14 Marlene Dawson
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16 Other Council Members Present:
17 Ken Henderson
18 Larry Harris
19 Barbara Brenner
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21 SUPERIOR COURT /CLERK; DISTRICT COURT /ADULT PROBATION;
22 PROSECUTING ATTORNEY; SHERIFF /JAIL; PUBLIC DEFENDER;
23 JUVENILE PROBATION
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25 Superior Court/Clerk N.F. Jackson reported with the mission statement, stating
26 that the focus is on access to justice, expedition and timeliness, equality, fairness and
27 integrity, independence and accountability, public trust and confidence. He noted that of
28 the 39 counties in Washington, the Whatcom County Superior Court is 35th in adequacy
29 of staffing. There have been no staff increases since 1989; however, the workload has
30 increased 42 %. Fifty-nine percent of the court's workload is civil; 41% is criminal.
31 Family Law matters consume 41% of the court's time. Dealing with Pro Se litigants
32 must be better addressed. He noted that some of the court's duties are performed by
33 others in the law and justice community. Jackson noted the four cost centers in the
34 court's budget: Superior Court, assigned counsel, County Clerk function, and Family
35 Court/courthouse facilitator.
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37 The court's budget is 98.2% fixed operating expenses and mandated services. The
38 court cut approximately $87,400 (net $62,615) or 3.6% after the Executive exempted
39 dedicated funding for the courthouse facilitator services and dispute resolution services.
40 Jackson noted staff reductions are not viable. Compared to other courts, Whatcom
41 County is short 7.57 FTEs (full time employees), based on an average Superior Court in
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Budget Hearing Minutes, 11/6/95, Page 1
1 this state. Some of the options discussed as considerations to be changed (but not done)
2 included: layoffs; closing the office for a portion of the day; closing a courtroom when
3 the clerk is on vacation or ill; selective processing of cases; and terminating the Family
4 Law Courthouse Facilitator Services. He expressed changes in public service to lessen
5 negative impact: ceased processing passports; closed the office to other county office
6 interruptions between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.; developed an alternative resource
7 directory; and notified the bar that papers may not be in the file in time for a hearing or
8 trial. He expressed concern that error rates are significantly up and increasing and noted
9 that there is regular mandatory management counseling for all staff. Other steps to
10 maintain or increase service delivery include: place law and justice offices on a common
11 database; enable in -court document capturing, editing, printing and distribution of the
12 court's order; install case - indexing /minute- taking terminals in courtrooms; develop a staff
13 self -help center for legal matters; and eliminate the paper file altogether. He also
14 recommended hiring a part -time commissioner, staff Guardians Ad Litem, and staff
15 conflict indigent defense attorneys instead of contracting these services. He noted he
16 declined to pay $16,000 billed by the state for judicial benefits, as well as microfilm
17 storage (billed by the Secretary of State). The BECCA bill (truancy) will require his
18 department to pay for Guardians Ad Litem for the juveniles.
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20 Jackson noted he presented the Executive a request for three additional services:
21 1.5 FTEs to be able to staff the courtrooms not presently being staffed; an administrative
22 assistant; and increase court commissioners' salaries to a level in parity with other
23 commissioners in the state.
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25 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: the $30,000
26 computer requested last year; Guardians Ad Litem; self -help centers with files with fliers
27 for the public; criminal cases increasing from the last few years; and mental health cases
28 in the court system.
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30 Jon Ostlund, Public Defender, commented briefly on cases involving mental
31 health, which are increasing.
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33 Also discussed were the increasing errors; temporary help; the number of staff
34 members needed to address the Guardians Ad Litem; and staff performance and
35 illnesses.
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37 District Court Judge David Rhea showed a comparison of Whatcom County
38 District Court and the 20 largest District Courts in Washington based on the total
39 number of filings per FTEs, noting that this County has the highest number of filings per
40 administrative clerical position in the state. Judge Rhea stated that the budget now on
41 the floor is workable if the number of filings does not increase, if there are no major
42 impacting legislation or court decisions, and if witness, jury and interpreter fees do not
43 increase in number.
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Budget Hearing Minutes, 11/6/95, Page 2
1 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: the
2 percentage of filings that are continued; the collections rate; the Parks Program, where
3 an individual can work for the Parks Department if he cannot pay his fine; the impact of
4 the DWI program; the use of home monitoring for DWIs; and fees and fines.
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6 Fred Thompson, District Court Probation, explained the objective of his
7 department's high caseloads.
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9 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: re -offend
10 rate; supervision of probation; holding people accountable; capital expenditure money
11 requests for the computer upgrade; and small communities unwilling to contract.
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13 (Clerk's Note. A two- minute break was taken.)
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15 Dave McEachran, Prosecuting Attorney, gave an overview of the year, stating the
16 number of homicides and violence has increased. He also reviewed the serious cases
17 this year and the pending cases.
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19 McEachran stated they are very short- staffed and reduction was very hard.
20 Whatcom County attorneys handle over 220 felony cases each year, which is more than
21 Pierce County's 162 cases per year. The budget submitted to the Executive equals a
22 34% reduction from last year's budget. Funds were cut for extra help. In addition,
23 overtime and comp time have been reduced, as has their law library. The office has cut
24 phone time and civil reception hours. He has ceased taking the support modifications.
25 He noted he is holding about 60 cases due to lack of time for processing. McEachran
26 stated that this has had an impact on the public, noting that cases involving property
27 crimes have a low priority in the office.
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29 One of the new programs his office is handling relates to domestic violence, as
30 well as deferred prosecution for welfare fraud.
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32 McEachran is very concerned about the juvenile cases, which are increasing due
33 to the BECCA bill. He also expressed concerns about the mental health cases, which
34 are also increasing. In closing, he noted the caseloads are "getting worse ".
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36 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: increased
37 staffing; an appellant attorney; utilization of the Drug Fund; utilization of the small
38 claims court; and reduction of caseloads per attorney. McEachran stated that he can
39 only reduce caseloads by increasing staff. One hundred thirty cases per attorney would
40 be ideal, compared to the 219 cases currently being handled. Also discussed was the
41 BECCA bill and staffing time, along with the Criminal Justice Sales Tax.
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Budget Hearing Minutes, 11/6/95, Page 3
1 Dale Brandland, Sheriff, reported on the Criminal Justice System. Brandland
2 expanded on the increased crime in the County. He also explained the reduction of
3 D.A.R.E. deputies, who are needed to patrol and investigate. Brandland stated it is a
4 limited budget which must provide service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. He also
5 requested the Council restore the three deputy positions.
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7 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: the D.A.R.E.
8 Program; traffic deputies and revenue; the number of calls per officer; the increase of
9 three F FEs; 911 implementation; the increase in 911 calls; the utilization of taking calls
10 on small cases; the use of officers on disability for a station officer; the use of the
11 sheriff' reserve force; emergency management and the City of Bellingham; community-
12 based policing; boating safety program expenditure; the utilization of fire districts for
13 emergency response; and boating citations.
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15 Dave Wareing, Undersheriff, responded to a question regarding ambulance
16 service and increased fees.
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18 Neil Clement, Emergency Management, commented briefly regarding a comment
19 made by the Sheriff.
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21 (Clerk's Note. A five- minute break was taken.)
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23 Jon Oslund, Public Defender, presented an overview of the caseload statistics.
24 He also presented the 5% reduction of the overall budget, noting the increase of
25 caseloads and the projection of costs to handle this caseload. Also included were
26 reductions of training, secretarial costs, supplies, and utilization of a law student during
27 summer vacations. Oslund also expanded on the costs of conflict attorneys.
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29 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included upgrading
30 programs and procedure manuals for training.
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32 Gary Wood, Juvenile Court Probation, presented on overview of the budget
33 reduction, overclass pay, training money, overtime, and supplies. He also explained that
34 his department does receive funding from state grants. Juvenile probation caseloads will
35 probably increase due to the BECCA bill. Wood explained the At Risk Kids, CINOS
36 (Children In Need Of Services), and truancy cases. These truancy cases will impact the
37 secretarial support and overall department. Wood also indicated that they will not clerk
38 the courts and that office hours will be reduced.
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40 A question and answer period followed. Topics discussed included: truancy
4.1 issues; clerking the courtrooms; probation officers in the courtroom; targeted offenders;
42 repeat offenders; adding new bunks in juvenile probation; and monitoring the juvenile
43 probation facility.
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Budget Hearing Minutes, 11/6/95, Page 4
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ADJOURN
The meeting was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.
N dean Hanson, Recording Secretary
ATTEST:
. N� -..
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Alvin Starkenburg, Coun ember
Budget Hearing Minutes, 11/6/95, Page 5