HomeMy WebLinkAboutclosed_caption10:00:20 Okay.
10:00:24 Hmm, did you hear the bells? I didn't hear the bill. Morning, Kate.
10:00:30 Just about to get started.
10:00:31 Good morning, everyone.
10:00:33 Morning. Are you home?
10:00:36 No, Saturday.
10:00:38 Okay. Hey, I drove by street last night and I saw the tremor in the forest and I was like, oh, soon.
10:00:46 Yeah.
10:00:49 Okay, good morning everyone. I will call this special meeting of the board county commissioners to order. We are here today in the first of a 2 days of special meetings to hear
initial budget presentations from our departments.
10:01:04 We're joined first by the Assessive Office, Laura Lee and Jeff, but we'll pass it over to to Mark McCauley to attend T off this process for us.
10:01:12 Okay, thank you, Commissioner Brotherton. So I believe 2 years ago, 2021 for the first time.
10:01:21 You guys are more, interested in the budget formulation process. Staff arranged to have all department directors and elected officials and make presentations to the commissioners.
10:01:33 Regarding their budget submissions. To help further understanding. Regarding the mission of the departments and elected offices.
10:01:40 And to to learn about challenges that they might be facing and to just engage in a dialogue about their mission and the performance of that mission and what resources they might
need.
10:01:54 And to facilitate the performance of that mission. And so this is round 2. And, so, with that, Judy, any words from you or?
10:02:07 I'm just excited to be a part of this process. This is my first time attending these meetings, so it's gonna be good to hear first time.
10:02:15 Just what people are working on and what they're doing and. Looking forward to it. Great.
10:02:24 Yeah, I was wondering, Mark and Judy, if you could please, give Maybe just a little background on the preliminary budget that was sent out.
10:02:34 I believe it was last Friday and, you know, the assumptions that went into that and how we should kind of consider the meetings, we're gonna have the next couple of days visa
v that preliminary budget.
10:02:48 Okay, that's a great request, Kate. Thank you. So the formulation of the preliminary budget.
10:02:55 Results from guidance that the board puts out via resolution earlier in the year that establishes guidance, for a linked officials and carbon directors when they put their budgets
together to the degree that we know about labor agreements that have been reached.
10:03:14 We include, the provisions of those labor agreements in the budget.
10:03:20 For labor agreements that have not yet been approved. We include, status quo, salary and benefit numbers and make adjustments to the budget once those, bargaining agreements
have been consummated.
10:03:37 Regarding, Non personnel costs. Which would be cost for contracts, supplies, vehicles and other things.
10:03:46 Now the board, requested, the budgets include a 1.5% increase. In those those budgets the practice in the county has typically been 3% but because of sort of substantial wage
adjustments that the board was authorized and we thought of 1.5% increase in non-salarity benefits but it would be appropriate.
10:04:14 And we did a similar, The word issue similar guidance regarding transfers. Those transfers, or increase.
10:04:24 1 25%. So using the guidance from the board, budgets were submitted.
10:04:39 Oh, there is, sorry, one thing before we start, and we did have on our agenda an item for public comments.
10:04:49 We can open it up again. I don't think we have any public with us, but just in case anyone would like to make comment in the Zoom room or here we'll open it up for public comment
before we hear from our assessors.
10:04:58 Anyone like to make public comments?
10:05:01 One more call for public comments.
10:05:04 Seeing none, we'll close public comment. And we'll pass it over to you. Now we did have a presentation, but.
10:05:14 It was in the packet. Are, are you gonna show the slides for that or should?
10:05:19 Attempt to do that but my computers in the throws of restart. Yeah, I would love to see the PowerPoint.
10:05:31 I can. I was gonna comment that I appreciated that it was very clear. Under tab 6. And Jeff, make sure that you do, lean into the microphone a little, make sure you can hear
you.
10:05:54 Are you in the meeting or are you in the room? You know, you gotta join the Zoom Meeting.
10:06:00 I'm sorry to do that. Okay, let me, get into that. I'll just a little.
10:06:05 Background, you know, what the assessor, and I'm Jeff Chad and the county is, and this is, She does all of our budget work.
10:06:14 She's my senior tech. And she does the levees and right now she's fully engaged and I to some degree and setting the levees for the next year and working with all the junior
taxing districts on letting them know what if they if they're limited in the 1%.
10:06:31 What the assessment base will be and and what they can expect. That their limitations will be and then they'll set their, they'll have their budget hearings and then they'll
come back and, give us the final values.
10:06:46 Actually, they get to the county commissioners then give them to us. It's a little it's complicated because we don't know the final values till we get to the end of the year.
10:06:57 So what we're doing now, we're giving, And then they work with, because they gotta have their budget hearings before we have final values.
10:07:04 So it's the next few months it's an intense back and forth where we keep updating them and they ask by questions and then we keep doing that until they finally set their levies.
10:07:15 So far that's worked well. We're also working with the fee, the ones who have benefit assessments to same problem is that we haven't really finalized the roles for the benefit
assessments.
10:07:28 But they need to have some idea how much money is going to be generated. So we're working with them as well.
10:07:34 What we do in the assessors office primarily is set the value, the property values.
10:07:39 For all properties in Jefferson County. And for most part we've been focusing on taxable properties, but I've been notified by its revenue that we also have to keep the values
for all non-taxable non-government property.
10:07:57 So we're right down. Inspecting churches and making sure we have a proper value on for churches.
10:08:04 And if other than churches, it's mostly land trust and land, which is fairly easy, but it is fairly consistent from year to year.
10:08:14 Are there other categories like churches like schools or I mean are there other? We don't have to value government so we're not required to put a market value on for schools.
10:08:26 For parks or state parks. For their facilities. Port, the county. We often do, you know, for County, what I often put in is whatever the risk will comes up with their assessments.
10:08:40 I'll stick it in there. Doesn't do. You know, for county, what I often put in is whatever the risk will comes up with their assessments all stick it in there. Doesn't change
a great deal until they do a refresher.
10:08:46 Or we'll actually look at and will then because they have a lot of various buildings. They're not that hard to value so we'll go ahead and put those on.
10:08:52 And the other thing is we do get requests. Like the fire district will assess. Directly, some of the government entities for fire services since they don't get property tax.
10:09:04 So as a service, will come up with a value for them to use. Yeah, we get requested.
10:09:14 And then commercial is just done as part of the geographic area as you do that area or do you do commercials separately?
10:09:18 Yeah, we do commercial along with residential. We do them together. Okay, Faxing little commercial we do along with residential.
10:09:29 And, now one thing is we value. We're supposed to be in 100% of market value.
10:09:36 We're all property. And the part of revenue measures us each year to see if we are at 100%.
10:09:43 And that is, you know, that is a gold standard. And what they'll do is they look at all sales that we ourselves qualify as whether they can be used for ratio or non user ratio.
10:09:56 What gets thrown out are like quick playing deeds, family deeds, all of it sales that really aren't market value sales.
10:10:03 So we come up with a list of market. So part of and then looks at our values and then scores.
10:10:11 We've been dropping a couple of percentages points every year. I'm expecting that this year will drop another 2 to 3%.
10:10:19 No words, we're not keeping up. Premiere year with a market. I think we'll be down about 88% this year.
10:10:25 And I say that because, the state also publishes median home sale prices. Bye, County. And if you look, the medium home price for the state is 647,000.
10:10:38 Or 2022. And for Jefferson County 606,000. But don't let that fully, I mean, King County is 914.
10:10:47 We're actually in the top 5. And if you look at 606 clowns at 4 52. Wow.
10:10:56 And Kids apps at 5 39. So it's just the bigger counties kind of throw off the curve basically.
10:11:00 Well, what I'm saying is it's more expensive to own a home in Jefferson County than either KIDS app or clown or island.
10:11:08 But, you know, they may have. Hey, they may pay better in those counties, but it's cheaper to live there.
10:11:17 I'm sorry to interrupt, but could you repeat what you were saying, what is dropping a couple of percentage points a year?
10:11:14 Yeah. So which is not surprising, sure. Right. The, the ratio of The ratio of what, you know what, what the department do is they look at all, the sales and they look at what
our assess value is compared to the sale price.
10:11:46 Okay.
10:11:47 And you want to be at a hundred percent. The problem is to be at a hundred percent. You're gonna have so many properties that are undervalued and so many properties that are
overvalued.
10:11:57 And the closer you get to the 100%, the more appeals you get because you're gonna have a number of properties that are valued at more than 100% a market.
10:12:07 And you know and then the gold standard is 100% so they're gonna they're they get pretty upset when they're guided more than.
10:12:16 So you get more appeals. And it looks bad for us if we're overguiding property. But if you try to get it to where you're valuing under 100 or add a hundred percent when at the
top you wind up with a ratio in the not around 90 and sure enough we're right in the middle of what most counties are but when I when I started 2014 after when the market had gone down
10:12:41 we, 97% and so we've been dropping a few percent every year. Now we're down into the around 88% of the market.
10:12:50 I mean, is it more difficult as there's more variation in the market? I mean, it's been a pretty active market in the last couple of years.
10:12:59 So they did. Well, we have to, we do a certain amount of prediction just like off the financial management does project.
10:13:03 You can so we say what's the market doing? So you look for the trend. I tend to value conservatively, if the market takes a dive down, which was being predicted for this year.
10:13:12 You don't want to be over so so I was valued conservative and it turned out too conservative because while the e side of King County might have gone down, it had the sales have
not come down in Jefferson County.
10:13:27 We just had a property out by Ocean Grove that we had a property out by Ocean Grove that we we had raised it by 45% over 2 years and just over a million just sold for over 2
million.
10:13:36 So we're still chasing it up going market. I mean People want to live in Jarvis County.
10:13:42 And so you're not seeing the same trend in Jefferson, you may be seeing some other places that we're still, we're still growing.
10:13:49 We're still rising. We're still. I mean, I was raised values by 20 to 25% last year last year.
10:13:56 And this year we're raising about 10%. And we're so low and we're losing ground.
10:14:04 Now what's wrong with being undervalued? Well, for one of the laws, should be a hundred percent.
10:14:11 So, you know, I'm not keeping up. So I've got to find a way to turn that around.
10:14:16 Secondly, if the market does go down, I'm still undervalued. So you're still gonna see rising values here trying to get up to that market it even if it flattens out.
10:14:23 You know, even if the newspapers reporting that values aren't going up or guys are going down by 5%.
10:14:30 Well, I'm 12% low now. So I mean, like next year I'm gonna have to try to make up some of that.
10:14:35 How do you how do we catch up? Well, people, we keep at it. We keep looking at the sales, new sales, and we look at the old sales and we keep adding a bit every year.
10:14:46 We add to the land. We're finding out that we're pretty good on buildings.
10:14:51 Because we've been updating our cost tables every year and we've got a market kick around those and we can really and they're a little more uniform to value in that way, you
know, per square foot.
10:15:03 Land is where we're, we're having, we're gonna spend, we'd have one appraiser this next year dedicated doing land.
10:15:10 The reason is land is where we've been getting more off. And part of that I think is there isn't that much land that hasn't been built on.
10:15:20 So people are buying vacant land or for many years they weren't where now they're beginning to buy vacant land, they're paying pretty high prices for it.
10:15:27 So we've got to that's where we've been getting all very well, you know, we're down 80%.
10:15:33 So we're trying that we're gonna try to raise land value but still say equitable. So that was an neighborhood where properly valuing, which mean, and land could be time intensive
because it's your view, that's where your views come in.
10:15:48 So if the trees come up, and block your view, you, theory you're, you have your land I haven't gone up as much as one that still has full view.
10:15:58 You don't know that unless you walk out there and look at it. And so that's why we're gonna put.
10:16:02 Really focus on land a little bit more this next year. And, you know, again, the other problem with having a ratio in the around 88%.
10:16:15 Is the way the state school levies work, which is about a quarter of your taxes. Is they take the how much money they want to get.
10:16:24 Statewide and they divided by your local ratio. So you wind up having a higher levy rate for state schools than you would if you're at a hundred percent because they want the
100% they want 100% from every county.
10:16:42 So what they do is they just raise the levy rate. Oh they're correct they'll correct it on their side if we're at 80% they'll add another 20 on the top basically right so you
may have there's a uniform levy rate across the state but is globally equalized for each county so each county will be a little different and they'll almost always be above the base
because they divided by ratio.
10:17:00 So there's no, they get their money. And so yeah, so that's one thing that we're doing.
10:17:06 And the other part about that is that you'll We, we were trying to keep costs down.
10:17:12 You know, I wanted to keep our budget under a million and we're obviously going over a million in this next by any in both years.
10:17:18 Part of that, of course, is inflation. A lot of it is. But we had gone.
10:17:24 We were promised years ago when we bought, the using technology, we could help offset adding staff by adding technology.
10:17:33 And so we bought iPads for the appraisal, use, on the field, mobile units, mobile, They haven't really worked out the way they were sold them to work out.
10:17:45 They're good at taking pictures and they immediately tagged to the parcel. So that's been a very good convenience.
10:17:53 But they don't do land and it's hard to get to do some of the sketching that we need for improvements in those iPads.
10:18:01 So they've never really delivered plus the vendors have had a little vendor war. We've got 2 vendors.
10:18:10 One provides the mobile support one provides the desktop in our support. And they don't always seem to line up with each other.
10:18:16 So when we have a failure with the iPad, I wanted to take out 3 troubled tickets, one with different one in house.
10:18:25 And 2 different vendors and that doesn't mean you'll get your problem fixed. It just means it'll be spending a lot of time in trouble tickets.
10:18:33 So what happens when we roll the roles for the next year? We wind up, we've had the last few years, a 3 month lag, be able to use the iPads because it takes them that long to
get the new year set up in the.
10:18:50 So, you know, I can't have a praise for sitting around for 3 months. They're wanting us to do old way.
10:18:54 They take the books out the field. They take a hand camera. And eventually we get the iPads up and working again.
10:19:02 And, you know, we, we keep threatening, well, we're, you know, by the time we figure that out, we'd be up and running.
10:19:11 So, so that's what's going on. So that's not. By the time we figure that out, we'd be up and running.
10:19:21 So, so that's what's going on
10:19:24 Oh yeah, I do have valuation by area and we're just now getting to do sheets out.
10:19:30 Because we just, we basically close, we're sending out change of value notices to everyone in the county.
10:19:36 They're going out Monday. Next Monday and then there's a third day appeal window which then that also puts more pressure on the board of decalization because then they know,
you know, then they're vice values in the county as you can imagine marathon marathon and remember we lagged the state phone crisis by a year.
10:19:58 Because we're always measuring the prior year. And what I find is Marathon portal, usually right up around.
10:20:05 What they publish. But, you know, we're a year behind. So, in a sense, we're out there all over the meetings.
10:20:14 So in a sense we're up there all over the meetings and yeah sure enough that's what's happening marathon 643 for the for the median home price.
10:20:21 And again, we're lagging them and what they say the medium for them. Is 640 for last year.
10:20:28 So. That's about what we'd expect. And, and then you have port level of next.
10:20:34 Port Townsend is down in the middle. County wide and the reason the other smaller homes, older homes, older homes, older homes, a lot of smaller homes, older homes, older homes,
a lot of smaller homes.
10:20:44 And so even though they're, they're highly valued. Because of the size, it the values down compared to what you would get.
10:20:55 And our condos valued individually like if there's a condominium development as each because they can be separate ownership so they, yeah, okay.
10:21:07 That's kind of my task. And with valuations. And most of my do by spreadsheet.
10:21:15 And then I'll plug them in. And that way we do have pretty strong uniformity in condos because we plug in you know have a spreadsheet, we do have pretty strong uniformity in
condos because we plug in, you know, have a friendship with all the units.
10:21:25 And then I'll have the sales within there and then we'll I can up on so they keep the uniformity and then get closer to sales but usually.
10:21:36 My ratio for, is great, but it's uniform. So, you know, from unity and unit, and we virtually never get peals.
10:21:42 It's because it is so uniform. You just totally stretch it. It's a lot harder with land.
10:21:49 Cause it's all over the place. You know, it's one thing to say this 5 acres is the same as that 5 acres.
10:21:55 When this one's been developed different, this was got trees, that's what doesn't.
10:22:00 So with land is a lot less uniform. And so it is more challenging. And most of our appeals will be out of the county.
10:22:08 Where you don't need with plots are much easier than then.
10:22:15 And we do encourage people to come in and and appeal to values because again, one thing we're doing since 2014 has been doing all property every year.
10:22:24 Okay. So going into my budget. Like, take an hour.
10:22:41 Okay, can you go over to goals and objectives. Okay. We divide the county into 6 areas. Okay, can you go over to goals and objectives? Okay. We divide the county into 6 areas.
10:22:47 We value 1 6 of the right now we're doing the green area that you see there, which is the try area, marathon, center valley.
10:22:54 And then next year I will be doing, I guess it's the orange area, old area.
10:23:00 So we'll be using Quimper, North Wimper, California, K George. Discovery Bay and then the year after that will be doing the city.
10:23:12 Now I say doing that means the actual physical spectrum. The appraisers are swarming that area and looking at every property.
10:23:17 They, look at everything. So if you had a building permit, great. You didn't have Bill and Grant doesn't matter.
10:23:24 We're gonna get you because I mean we're gonna try every building there. Right. And You know, well, you don't need a billy permit for some buildings.
10:23:34 Like sheds and things like that. But doesn't matter. We're gonna So we're doing green this year, when will it come up again for how many?
10:23:48 6 years out. So, in those intervening years, will have a sewer and a urban growth area.
10:23:51 So that's gonna change. They'll still look at real estate prices and everything through that time. Calculated.
10:24:01 Yeah, we, in theory, you're right though. Well, we value every property every year.
10:24:04 We physically inspect once every 6 years. So, and so that area we can increase. We tend to do it more on market.
10:24:11 You know, we look at the sales that come and then we'll do like for a neighborhood will up it by 10% or 20% to get the sale prices.
10:24:19 But you're right, what happens with that is yours making a lot of assumptions about uniformity and you're not getting the individual changes.
10:24:27 And that is a problem with a 6 year cycle. We could go to a 4 year cycle and we have the option of 4, 5 or 6.
10:24:35 That was made the year before I became assessor and we went with 6, which is pretty common.
10:24:42 Most counties did. The problem with that is you don't physically get back to that. House for 6 years.
10:24:48 So if there are, if there have been individual changes, we may miss that and it 6 years is a long time and we've that has been a problem is 6 years a long time between inspections.
10:25:02 I'm not sure how you get around it. I mean, there's no perfect way unless you have a, But, but it is a problem not getting back to a place for 6 years.
10:25:16 Yeah.
10:25:16 Go ahead, Kate. And if we don't see you, you could go ahead and speak up too, please.
10:25:20 Okay, yeah, I try not to interrupt. I know it's disruptive voice from the television.
10:25:26 I apologize. Speaking of port hatlock, just, just. To be clear.
10:25:33 You the estimates you'll be doing will still be based on sales that are happening there, not on speculative value.
10:25:44 You do not. Work in the speculative realm, is that correct?
10:25:49 That is correct. And prices have gone up and say Iron Dale and we are definitely raising values is here in Iron Dale.
10:25:59 The, is where we're allowed. Now are those sales because, coming I can't really tell you, you know, again, that is.
10:26:09 But it's surprising. I mean, Iardell, we've got burned on some burn by being that we were very low valued on a number of sales that were much much higher.
10:26:20 But again, you, sewer will make it more predictable, cause we probably have now rural areas is that, depending on septic one place may get a septic in the next place may not
in the value differences tremendous.
10:26:36 So, and we don't always know that. So we're trying to keep a certain amount of uniform in there without knowing for sure which places are buildable, which And that's a big problem
in Brandon, you know, when you get out of lazy see here, you know, our Olympic canal tracks is that you don't from one property to the next.
10:26:53 They can be a dramatic difference in value because once Billable one is. So as you do have, we're available, you'll see more uniformity in our assessments and, where you won't
see much variation from one lot to the next to the next.
10:27:11 But, it's definitely going up. And we don't speculate, in other words, we don't generally value based on what would be the highest best use if built out and then try to.
10:27:23 They subtract out the cost of development which hasn't occurred yet. We, I was just thinking that between 2023 and 2029 we may actually see.
10:27:34 Development. That's what I was. That's what my comment was about. That's what my comment was about.
10:27:49 But again, because we value everything every year, we'll, we'll definitely be reflecting And so we could still do that.
10:27:51 What you'll just won't have the door to door inspections that you have elsewhere. SPEAK.
10:27:57 Oh, right. Yeah, new construction is every year. So any place being built, we pick it up the years ago.
10:28:06 And, and then of course when you're picking that up, you first looking at the neighborhood at the same time.
10:28:11 So. So you'll do a physical inspection of all new construction. Yes.
10:28:17 It's the best time for us to. Value that you get to see the building up close and see the inside because you're joining once it's built occupied we don't go inside.
10:28:27 We do the next, the other big thing is when they sell, everybody post all their pictures and all their drawing pictures.
10:28:35 And so we could see the inside there. But, from most part, we don't. And we don't use drones.
10:28:42 It's been suggested that we do. But, and maybe someday when it's an accepted practice.
10:28:49 But right now it's basically door to door and the law doesn't really allow us yet to actually do the physical inspection with drones.
10:28:58 It's getting closer there. The IT of standard, which is nationwide does allow it. State Washington state log does not allow it yet.
10:29:07 So we're trying to the assessors are trying to work to get those along each other so that you could do desktop appraisals.
10:29:15 And no one shoots down your iPads, but once you start flying drones over some of the South County.
10:29:22 Well, even now we've got our request legislation for this next session from assessors. Is stay wide aerial photography.
10:29:34 Which would be a need. It's eagle view, but basically, where you get a bleak imagery, which are angle shots.
10:29:45 It's harder with tree cover. It's, where you get a bleak imagery, which are angle shots.
10:29:50 It's harder with tree cover. It is, but you know, one of the questions about just like with drones is privacy is when you get those 5 resolution aerials at an angle, right?
10:29:57 You, you can, you can look inside that. It depends on how things both, but it does get to where you wonder.
10:30:02 And there's a certain amount of, the Asian price, there, But again, it also stops you from having to drive up the driveway and knock on the door, which is awesome invasion of
privacy.
10:30:18 And we've had threats, you know, and so it's a trade-off. I think as people get used to Google and they realize their privacy is Okay.
10:30:27 And so we're continuing on and we're gonna do. Kate George, PowerPoint next year and Quentin North Quiper and then you're after we'll do the city of Port Towns with our Fraser,
then we'll start to cycle over and we'll do Brennan and the web then together and then we'll do Quill Seing and Gardner together and
10:30:46 then, this is our staffing. We do have. Well, half, half an appraiser, you know, Michael Parent is paid out of my office.
10:30:58 Used to be we had full time afraid through was paid at our office and now we're paying for half of this time, and the other half of the central services.
10:31:07 So, and that worked out well. I actually had that job once. I, I was, let between public works and successor as the, You said of Fraser, but you're talking.
10:31:22 Yeah, Map and JS. Yeah, sorry. Performance indicators.
10:31:35 New construction number is Adding more work every year, isn't it? It is. That's a good thing.
10:31:45 It is new construction or the highest. Assess value call collected this year that we have in 10 years, 15 years.
10:31:54 In fact, it's probably a record. I'm out of. Okay. No surprises here.
10:32:04 Good partial count's been fairly consistent. Thank you.
10:32:06 Jeff, do you have an estimate for new construction this year?
10:32:23 Well. Yeah.
10:32:13 On the table. 94,010Â min. It's crazy.
10:32:32 If you talk, though, talking to the microphone. Wow. That's a lot interesting though the pandemic began in 2020 and Look at the increase of sense.
10:32:47 And we, 2020 and 2021. Yeah, and look at it gone down in 19 and 20.
10:32:57 When we used to talk about with David Sullivan, he's talking about, well, we're gonna be getting up close to 4 billion.
10:33:07 Property value through the county. Yeah, it's, I mean, so that new construction doesn't necessarily reflect twice as much new construction, but also that new construction when
it comes off is worth, you know.
10:33:17 50% more or whatever. That's true. Yes. Yeah.
10:33:23 Yeah. Yeah, we definitely we double property values since 2015.
10:33:32 Okay. Yeah, the summary. And this is kind of our goals of what we're gonna do for the next year.
10:33:41 And like I said, we're in California, Cape George and here is around it. And, I just wanna do point out that we are doing handling the assessments for accounting.
10:33:52 Right, so when you talk about fire patrol for DNR, we're the ones who manage that and demand which parts let's get a fire patrol assessment they're too far control assessment.
10:34:04 Used to be one. Now we've got 2 and. And we had to split those up and we've been kind of a leading county on doing this since since we're doing all of these and we're doing
them with, We've been able to stay ahead of what most counties are doing.
10:34:21 So we're often used to as the example county for how fire patrol should be done. For DNR, as well, so, as some of the others, not just, for example, and some of the others,
not just we, for example, in the noxious reboot port to the legislature was our county that they use to show how it could be done to, for example, and the noxious reboot port to the
legislature was our county that they use to show how it could be done to
10:34:40 do So, you've been able to do that. And what really makes it nice about all these different assessments is because they're all handled together.
10:34:46 We basically could simplify a lot of it by having the We're teams used for one, like not just we'd be used for conservation district because there's a lot of similarities and
early benefits are assessed.
10:35:00 That's how we could use the same script same method and we could just apply it that way. Worked well.
10:35:08 And we haven't had any, so we're, we seem to be keeping up with. How the benefits should be applied.
10:35:15 Nice work. Oh yeah, and Laura, I came up to do those. Yeah, I guess, again, like we're working with Kevin and with Michael on constantly trying to improve that.
10:35:32 It's, gonna work in progress, but again, we kinda, Jeffrey kind of set the lead for small counties and now that could be done and then most of all are going to say.
10:35:43 Personal fabric, portal base. No Okay, I guess that kind of goes there and then going into our budget itself.
10:35:57 We aren't asking for any ads. For next year, as as far as other than cost of living increases.
10:36:05 And need well that what we built in is factored with the county commission as a built in this factor is in there, but we're not adding to, we're not asking for additional staff.
10:36:16 Vehicles. It's always interesting with vehicles and we buy our own VFLs. And then the maintenance is performed by the county shop and then we pay them for their maintenance
time.
10:36:30 It's worked fairly well. However, it's worked well because we buy these vehicles and so we're not buying electric vehicles.
10:36:37 You know, we're buying things off lots and or, after every other office done, whether we'll use it.
10:36:45 And I know there's a expectation that the county should go to electrics. I'm not totally sure.
10:36:50 We have 5 vehicles, pretty big office for vehicles. And I'm not sure how we would do that.
10:36:57 You know, cause it's not in our budget. You know, and we could go to back to the, you know, ER and maybe what I found when looking into that is it's too expensive.
10:37:11 So either we would need a grant or a big budget appropriation if we were actually going to look at trying to electrify our fleet.
10:37:19 So if you're buying a used vehicle, I mean, what's what's kind of the percentage of a new vehicle, I mean, what's kind of the percentage of a new vehicle cost that you're paying
for a used vehicle generally or I mean, 1,000 as well.
10:37:34 We're buying SUVs. They gotta have that for a little drive. I mean, we drive all, we're not driving highways.
10:37:41 We're driving back roads. And so, work very well. Very good on background. How about 40 degrees?
10:37:47 What's that? Well, you know, you know, some, but yeah, I take your point.
10:37:52 But yeah. But I know, I mean, we would certainly could do some. I mean, we often pick up the mail for the county.
10:38:02 Obviously you use electric vehicle for anything in the city. We do port towns and it's mostly urban driving, that new construction.
10:38:08 So we could do more that way. But I'm not sure how we would budget for it.
10:38:13 And we pay a lot for postage. We do mailings every year. We, I don't see us ever getting away from doing paper mailings.
10:38:25 You know, we can do electronic, we can do electronic notices. But we would still need to be able to do paper mailing on top of that.
10:38:33 And then we pay a lot for professional services, which is our vendor. They sent the the value the prices for that for what our annual rents will be for the use of their services
for their software.
10:38:47 And we also pay for the support for the iPads. Yeah, I've had some relatively cheap.
10:38:54 It's the software behind it then it costs so much money. And, No, are there any questions there?
10:39:02 Nick.
10:39:02 Jeff, I'm, I know this it sounds like this probably goes through the county shop.
10:39:14 I know this, it sounds like this probably goes through the county shop, and ERR then, but, and, you know, fuel expenditure.
10:39:16 For your vehicles.
10:39:20 They don't have it broken down with just our vehicle total, but that includes, the purchase of the vehicle that we have this year.
10:39:28 Yeah, most, we almost always get fuel at the shop itself and then they build for us. So it'd be under the $7,300 line item for the whole year.
10:39:41 Okay.
10:39:40 Yes. What's travel? Is that? Okay.
10:39:52 I know we've been, you know, because a lot of classes are virtual now. They are changing things around where Department of Revenue will provide their classes.
10:40:02 Free of charge to assessors. They're the class that they have their own instructors for. And that would be like senior citizen training and current use.
10:40:12 Those kind of classes for appraisal or professional training, they're not gonna, they're not, they are told by the attorney general, they couldn't handle that anymore.
10:40:21 Or the assessors. So the assessments are now trying to figure out how we're gonna handle.
10:40:27 The professional train. IW, you know, our certificate training. And, now that the partner Avenue isn't performing that function going forward.
10:40:37 How we would do that. It has been, we haven't taken advantage of a lot of online training virtual training.
10:40:46 And, and even I, I will do some others virtual. Some of the class are virtual, some of them.
10:40:49 Our sit down and when it sit down you're either going to Tom Water for department revenue or like I, you may be going to Oregon.
10:40:59 Or Idaho. So, We even try to avoid those as much as possible, which is why our costs are down.
10:41:07 But you lose something. I'm sure you all know this and you've been hearing this. You lose something when you don't do some sit down training with other people.
10:41:16 This next year I the, our vendor, which is hair is planning on doing a,ax training.
10:41:24 Sit down for both assessors and treasurers and there will be a cost involved in that and they're talking about using as to start off with and doing there.
10:41:36 But going back to the annual and I find a lot of that I've done a lot of past before the pandemic we used to have one over here and there was a lot of value in and you know
will sit down with somebody from another town and talk about how they're doing it.
10:41:51 And I mean, it's clear that. Like more than 90%. 100 K is just salaries and benefits right so that's really it's just paying for the appraiser to do the work and pretty much
status quo as moving forward.
10:42:06 It is, but I would expect we're probably Well, we put in travel based on what we've been doing as well as training.
10:42:13 I would expect those to start rising in the future because I do feel we are missing out by doing everything virtually.
10:42:22 Okay, other questions for Jeff and Willie? Yeah. Alright. Thanks, obviously we could talk to.
10:42:29 Assessing the whole day. So thank you for indulging our desires to. Okay, yeah, and the other thing is I've I know, does have a West West Side, chapter and they put on a training
every year and it's in.
10:42:49 And so I said that. That's a great class. That's the one place they get the network is that one place they get the network is that one day in Bremerton and it's a great class
because that's the one place they get the network is that one day invermerton and it's relatively cheap for us.
10:43:01 We're not paying overnight. Thanks for the assessment of your budget. It'll be 9.
10:43:09 Alright.
10:43:15 Up next we have just record and Brian Gleeson in the room. Thanks for being here, Brian.
10:43:23 Do you have a, for his, do we have this for every department today? It's super helpful.
10:43:32 The power point, do we have a PowerPoint? Alright. Good morning, Brian. Good to have you.
10:43:49 Please do use the microphones, and others can hear you. So Judge Walker is on the bench currently.
10:43:55 I'm already in here. So I hope to keep this very short and sweet. Okay. Cause I'm not really asking for much this year.
10:44:03 It's trying to keep me at status for pay levels. Other than salary increases, asking for any additional ads.
10:44:11 I think they're kind of start out with. Just to give an overview, just record.
10:44:17 Hopefully by the end of this week, I'll finally have full staff. Which will be the first time since March.
10:44:23 So that will be good. So, we've kind of been running on a deficit all year in terms of staffing levels.
10:44:30 Thankfully we've been able to handle that because our finally levels are down. We still have not recovered from the pandemic.
10:44:36 And we are kind of, cause we're a hundred percent, I call a reactionary.
10:44:43 We don't really generate that work. It's all coming in from law enforcement, private citizens, lawsuits, things like that.
10:44:50 So I mentioned in some of my narrative that Stay patrols at its historic low in terms of troopers out on the road.
10:44:58 We all know about the problems that we have with, in both city of our towns and then the sheriff's office.
10:45:04 We've also got retirement swimming. So everybody in, how am I saying the criminal justice world is in a major shift.
10:45:12 And so, some of our numbers are finally starting to rise as new people are getting hired on.
10:45:19 So we're starting to see an increase. And civil filings like traffic infractions. Things like that.
10:45:25 And first we had summer so of course around here we get a lot more tourists so it's a lot more people out of you would get a fish and wildlife, you're doing a lot more enforcement
because you know parks.
10:45:35 We're in fishing seasons, so we're starting to see all the fishing tickets coming in, especially out in your neck of the web.
10:45:43 So things like that kind of, affect us. Our civil filings are surprisingly down during the pandemic.
10:45:52 Landlords couldn't, you know, file up. The to get the money back.
10:45:59 From like damages, things like that, the major damages. So all of that, the major damages.
10:46:04 So all that was cut on hold and we're slowly starting to see collection agencies actually file. To collect and so the vast majority of my civil work in district court is Small
lawsuits against people who owe probably under $10,000.
10:46:21 It's a lot of $5,000, $10,000 bills that are coming from a collection agency.
10:46:30 So my numbers are down. They changed how protection orders are filed. They've kinda gone to a one size fits all model where a person will file and where they file.
10:46:44 The judge upon reading the petition will determine should this be with my border we have transferred quite a few over to Superior Court or before we did a lot of pre screening
to make sure that it was with me or with Superior Court.
10:46:58 So we've had a bigger increase in everything being kind of automatically directed into the super or around. So my protectioners are even down.
10:47:09 Yep, and then of course the black rolling, which everybody loves, that has affected our numbers because that was kind of a bright and better spirit cord.
10:47:19 We thankfully when Ruth retired out of the course office. She and James are very aggressive and helping me.
10:47:29 And just record. Produce and run reports and get my Blake refunds. Process. We have almost all of them done.
10:47:39 Excellent. So that thank you, Ruth. She's out there. I enter profusely upon, virtually every month she was so now I'm basically working with AOC to get those for, sent out to
the people.
10:47:55 And the other great thing is because We kind of purposely waited until July. The money doesn't come out of our coffers.
10:48:04 Now all of the money is in, money that's been, the, the legislation. So we can just be like, nice and clean.
10:48:16 Some of the courts around the state were very aggressive in getting money out early. And then to get reimbursement, that would be me constantly coming to you as asking for appropriations,
join 1915,000 $20,000 this month to pay these people back.
10:48:31 Do you know what's roughly was the, amount that need to get paid back? Well, so thanks for district court.
10:48:38 It's pretty small amounts. I think the largest I have might be $2,000 for a person most of my stuff is around 5 to $700 and again, that's only if they pay.
10:48:51 So we, in district court, this is an important thing for revenue. So I only have 10 years to collect a fine.
10:49:01 So if I as you know if the judge imposes like say a $5,000 fine on somebody and they never paid it goes off to collections except for 10 years after 10 years, we write that
sign off.
10:49:13 No, I have this huge outstanding balance of money going and Sometimes I get $2 on that $5,000.
10:49:22 So some of the people that were eligible for Blake are getting $2 refund because that's all I need.
10:49:29 With a thousand dollars processing too, right? You know, when you have my time first time, I'm getting checks. Yeah, all of that.
10:49:41 So, but hey, that's the legislation. So yeah, the other big thing too is I say as we are still recovering for the pandemic is We just have a lot more people that qualify for
Indigenous services.
10:49:54 And due to the legislative movement in the core community over the last couple of years. We don't impose fines per the legislature on certain charges.
10:50:06 So they used to have. Mandatory minimums on lots of things and now it's on lots of things and now it's specifically says in the RCWs and now it's on lots of things and now it
specifically says in RCWs and Costco's you cannot impose this.
10:50:16 Different person is int. So we used to like, you know, and DUI would routinely be about $2,500 and we're seeing people that because they're, they're, gent, mandatory, find some
fees or maybe.
10:50:30 3, 400 bucks. And what's the threshold for indigent? And I think a hundred 25% of the poverty rate.
10:50:38 So when I'm doing public defender applications, basically if you're a single person and If you make more than $1,400 a month, you qualify for a public vendor.
10:50:50 More than 1,400. Anything above 1,400, you're eligible or you're not eligible. Okay.
10:51:02 Yeah, so it's Most a lot of full time working people still qualify, especially when you consider and things like living expenses or child care, number of people in the family.
10:51:13 So it's a rare day that we actually add people that. 99 public defenders. And of course we have to have here in all the record then say This person qualifies that Josh has to
make the but really, so it's, our revenue is down as reflected in my ass.
10:51:32 Unfortunately, because as I was really looking at my numbers. I guess I've always had kind of like, well, I hope I get that many, you can step on this. I hope I get that much.
10:51:46 And filing fees and we're even waving our file now. On things like protection orders, civil filing small, are all open and eligible to have those family leaves waved.
10:51:55 Ryan, what do people have to show to prove that they make under $1,400? So we require a financial academic.
10:52:00 So they do have to list and they sign it under penalty of her jury that this is their income levels. This is what they pay up and rent.
10:52:08 And then particularly if they ask for public assistance, I ask and get a copy. I like their EBT card to show that they're on food stamps.
10:52:18 That is once you qualify for an EBT card, you're pretty qualified for almost everything else.
10:52:26 So it's really kind of a low barrier. For almost everything else. So it's really kind of a low barrier. Ask. But we do make sure that they sign that.
10:52:31 And then we review it and they do have to provide proof so we get make statements, Ajax.
10:52:37 Thank you. So we review all of that. To make sure that they aren't. You know, scanning the system.
10:52:44 So, I'm less worried about scamming the system. It's just that sometimes the paperwork required to prove something and be onerous to a person who's struggling otherwise anyway.
10:52:58 So I just I wanna make sure there's a fairly low bar for. Okay. Yeah, so since, you know, like especially with their cards, once they see that they've got that type of card
or Yeah, because we are small enough community.
10:53:12 We kind of. That sounds bad, but we know a lot of the people that enter the criminal justice system or we have heard of them or familiar with names.
10:53:20 We can kind of be like, okay, I think we know where you're working or we know that you're only working part time at McDonald's.
10:53:27 Or would you know that based on those supports that you're you know, and then house the individual.
10:53:33 And If you're on house, if you're not wanting a lot of money to get above that, So, Okay.
10:53:42 Could I jump in here for a sec, Brian? Thank you. Yeah, it's interesting.
10:53:49 I don't think I've ever quite considered kind of the what you just said is you know you find yourself hoping you get a certain number of types of infractions and yet of course
we don't hope that.
10:54:01 I mean we would love for these to go away, right? And like, I'm just wondering how, how do you approach that?
10:54:11 Revenue, projection. Like.
10:54:19 It's what I've done is I've looked at our past budgets. And I actually look at my actuals that I give, provided.
10:54:28 Bye, shooting's office. So now that I'm getting earlier, I'm finally able to pull some of those myself.
10:54:36 And so I'd look at my actual revenue. And this year I took a really hard look at my actuals and Pretty, in my opinion, I drastically slashed my helps and dreams for revenue
and came back home.
10:54:55 But it looked like you had projections in growth and civil yeah and that is always again it's hard to say because projections in growth and civil. Yeah, and that is always again,
it's hard to say because we're reactionary.
10:55:03 I'm trying to go back to kind of pre pandemic numbers. So that's because we're starting to see, you know, more and more people coming to court.
10:55:10 The courtroom like just physically We have more and more people that are appearing by Zoom. We have more and more people showing up in the courtroom.
10:55:19 We're getting the troopers are getting hired the offices are getting hired we're starting to see that growth, which this year.
10:55:29 You can actually see in my files, I could only give up to. I think when I did they ran through August.
10:55:35 So that, you know, I only have 8 months for the data in terms of actual And then we all know that the holidays are very popular for a lot of activity.
10:55:48 So I expect to always see that. So I'm sorry, Kate, I stepped on your question.
10:55:52 I don't know if you had any follow up.
10:55:54 Well, just, you know, we, talk about the budget being our most important. Policy document and of course this largely policy-wise falls under Judge Walker's purview so I don't
mean to I guess it's more kind of out of curiosity of.
10:56:10 You know, the like, you know, I think we're all in this, I suspect we're all in the same boat of wanting to do.
10:56:25 What is the words? When you refer to family and I know a lot of this is more in supreme superior court than it is in district but Diversions.
10:56:36 And therapeutic justice versus punitive. And so like does that play into kind of how you project your revenues and And then too, I guess, just, you know, this plays into the
larger question of how much should the state be helping to support the cost of us running courts and again something that's a little more focused on superior court but still this is
I don't think I've ever thought about
10:57:04 quite so carefully how weird it is that we anticipate revenue and have to create a budget around. Charging people for charging people who often can't afford to really be paying
for these.
10:57:20 Circumstances and I, you know, not everybody should be let off the hook. Of course, I, I pay my speeding tickets.
10:57:27 How does this kind of affect you think about policy and. Approach the work of the court.
10:57:36 Yeah, and I think that's a discussion that Judge Walker and I have frequently. And is a big you know, massive change in the philosophy and the.
10:57:47 I've been in the court since 97. Started my way at the bottom and worked out to being an admin and over the course of the years, you know, as a clerk, I was.
10:57:56 Probably a little mean and aggressive to people on the phone, trying to get their money and being like, no, I'm not gonna do that for you.
10:58:06 Judge ordered it. You need to pay it. You have to collect it. And I know that when I was down in Thurston, you know, we We're a revenue generator for the county.
10:58:14 Well, we paid for our department and our, we had 17 people. You know, and it was amazing how much revenue that we pulled in and we paid for our entire probation department through
probation piece.
10:58:27 Because any money that we collect information is supposed to often the cost of probation and services and classes and that's just not the case anymore.
10:58:37 Because we are really looking at person centered services in the justice community. And we're really trying to identify.
10:58:46 Where people are struggling, how we can best meet them. We currently have discussions upstairs about changing even our probation department, from district corporation to district
or client services.
10:59:02 Which is some of the more progressive ports around the state are changing that because we don't want to be seen as the hammer.
10:59:07 We're actually The reason you're here is that you come here because you have a you know, diagnosis of some sort.
10:59:15 You're not necessarily choosing to. And mental health disorder, you know, that happens. So we want to make sure that we can help address your needs.
10:59:24 Of course, sometimes in addressing your needs, there are punishments that get involved. Because you have broken laws and there are victims that need to be made whole.
10:59:31 But with our they're fitted courts and even regular probation we're trying very hard to meet the person where they're at.
10:59:39 We can help them along our path so they can come hopefully at the end of their time in the court.
10:59:45 Better, more productive. That's the whole idea of rehabilitation. It's just we're really changing it and since we're really changing it from repunitive rehabilitation into a
therapeutic model.
10:59:56 Which is probably the rationale for the budget expansion between 24 and 25 of a half time therapeutic for for staff person.
11:00:06 So moving in that direction even more. Now that we have, you know, Rebecca on board, it's the coordinator for our, that's through, they're going to get in person on board eventually.
11:00:17 Hopefully you go to the end of next year or beginning of 25 that can do all the administrative work.
11:00:23 And let her do more than therapeutic. Kind of work between the courts and really focus and drill down.
11:00:31 Our goal with that is to both some policy. And changing how it works and how people enter the system and what type of assessments and needs, things like that.
11:00:43 So she'll be going on quite a few trainings. Oh, for the therapeutic chords.
11:00:48 And I know that the prosecutor's office will be sending people to go out the same type of trainings to those as well.
11:00:56 So, and you know, it's kind of funny when we look at the third core model, it's all funded by one tenth money.
11:01:04 So it's a really interesting. Topic that we will have to eventually bring up. Talk about how we need to expand our, to get the additional funding.
11:01:18 But is there any legislative action on, I mean, obviously this, the framework is changing across the state, right?
11:01:26 I mean, is there any legislative, you know, we we can get behind and help Bush. So we have been applying to the AOC, which administrative office the court grants for the therapeutic
courts and because we've had programs that have been up and running for quite a few years.
11:01:45 To the bottom of the last step because they're trying to reject in communities that do not have therapy reports.
11:01:51 And there's so many different types of. You have your traditional mental health cords. You have veterans courts, you have drug, you have your traditional mental health courts,
you have veterans courts, DUI boards, DUI boards, they now have what they call community courts.
11:02:04 Which is basically a low barrier. That addresses basically like your kind of crimes of poverty in your city and a lot of theft, a lot of criminal trespassing and it's really
a short term 6 month intervention to get somebody howed.
11:02:22 And services and then they'll business the charges. I don't like to say, you know, that you resolve that case quickly.
11:02:30 And, don't add another conviction that, Right, understand. We are getting more opioid settlements coming out.
11:02:40 I think we'll push most of those into the BHAC, which is where you guys are getting those funds.
11:02:44 Maybe even a conversation at BHAC to have too about, the delineated carve out or what have you. I don't know. There's no spicy conversation. Yeah, I know.
11:03:05 There's always a lot, a lot of But I mean, work of the county is kind of, yeah, you know, And then to kind of pick you back on what Jeff said too, I do have line items for travel
because now, that various, goods that my staff belong to.
11:03:23 Like the Judge's Association, the Core Administrator Association, Momation Officers.
11:03:29 All are going to in person conferences. And they're usually those type of locations. So we do have to end up doing some travel to go to those.
11:03:42 So you'll see that as one of online items.
11:03:47 Where salaries broken into 2 line items? Because I have probation staff, which, follow, under a different.
11:03:56 Sound those are my probation folks and then I have my regular. Got it.
11:04:06 And what happened to the mental health case management? So mental health, all of my money that I used to get to fund behavior health work all went into the therapeutic So it's
all combined, so Superior Courts, Sport, Court, and, CORP, are now all under one line item of Rebecca being the head of that.
11:04:29 And then both judges university and you've all through to actually oversee Rebecca's work.
11:04:34 So it's Judge Walker, judge back and then Commissioner Forbes. So that's simplified the administration of the function.
11:04:41 Correct. That was a Right. Other questions or comments for Brian?
11:04:49 How you doing? Yeah.
11:04:54 And maybe just one question, Brian. And I don't know that you'll be able to answer this, but I'm certain you know more about it than I do.
11:05:03 Do you, what, you know, one of the big initiatives at the Association of Counties for years has been getting the state to pay more of the share of indigent.
11:05:13 Defense and I know that's largely superior court do you have a sense of what Does any portion of your budget get covered by the small amount that the that the courts reimburse
the county for indigent defense.
11:05:32 It all goes to.
11:05:30 I don't believe so. Okay. Yeah, mine line item, for, and, events is funded by you guys.
11:05:40 Okay.
11:05:40 And so anything that I do for AOC are nice, JAC. So like they use my language line for their interpreter phone calls.
11:05:50 And then all the conflict counsel, are paid out of my budget. So, but I do believe that very small rank in the office of public defense. It's almost insulting.
11:06:13 And I, yeah, so, I think, Commissioner, do you know that Los Angeles? Yeah, so long shot. Oh yeah, what do we get?
11:06:20 $50,000 in the cost is a million 2 or something. Yeah. It's a long shot.
11:06:26 But oh yeah, what do we get? $50,000 in the cost is a million 2 or something? Yeah.
11:06:28 I know for the county's Yeah, if you ever wanted to read some interesting articles about public defense, read what's going on in Franklin County right now.
11:06:33 Okay. With they have been unable to supply public defenders. And so charges are getting dismissed and lost since are currently in file.
11:06:42 So I'm glad I'm not Yeah, so that is an ongoing start. Again, because we don't have the phones coming in.
11:06:53 And, we don't have attorneys. James, Kennedy upstairs, hard to get attorneys that want to enter into prosecution and also develop defense because it's not lucrative and it's
not very pretty.
11:07:06 So.
11:07:09 Okay. Well, Brian, thank you very much. Thank you very best to Judge Walker. Court, got other duties.
11:07:21 So no, yeah, wouldn't wanna rip around. Give me a call and time. Oh, one thing you did want to bring up, just as I think I've noticed, because I'm going to a lot of electronic.
11:07:33 Getting rid of my paper documents. Thank you. IT staff. For helping me with that and due to my upgrade to my camera system that I paid for with the 9 file sizes are pretty large.
11:07:45 Yeah. And so I can already tell that I'm impacting storage. And then when superior court does the same type of upgrade, they'll be impacting the storage.
11:07:54 So I would like to catch, just record what would love to see IT get bolstered.
11:07:59 To help with staff and making sure that we can handle our IT impacts that are gonna come down the line.
11:08:09 We're gonna work with Pairs. To move our, you know, our, files to cloud.
11:08:15 Okay. In that world. Plus 5 hands with the share. And then we're adding file sizes that are.
11:08:30 Right. We're all guilty of adding to that bird. Thank you for bringing that. And thank you for bringing that. Thank you for bringing that up.
11:08:37 I do this is one of those things I was thinking about because I had a shock of I usually could fit a whole days with parents on a flash drive and now I can fit.
11:08:43 Half a day at most. And so I'm like, I'm gonna have to buy more expensive flash drives.
11:08:49 You know, it's like those little things that you don't think about. All of a sudden you realize just how big the media files have gotten and we're trying to keep media exhibits
out of place or fish.
11:09:01 So we're still keeping all of that in our paper files. Even though we're trying to get rid of them.
11:09:06 So we don't have server space. Oh, man. Yeah, the conundrums of technology. So forecasting, no, Brian. Thank you.
11:09:23 So just, yeah. Appreciate it. So. Okay, thank you very much, Brian.
11:09:27 Yeah, no, that's good. More than 10Â min, but we always have one question. So.
11:09:31 Alright, well our next item is scheduled for one PM. So I think we're, we should probably.
11:09:38 Yeah, so we'll recess till one PM. And I will be joining virtually that point.
11:09:44 So, and I will be joining virtually at that point. So, Commissioner Eisenhower's agreed to chair the afternoon.
11:09:48 I'm joined virtually at that point. So, Commissioner Eisenhower's agree to chair the afternoon.
13:00:41 Okay. Yeah, optical illusion. Seems like it's the Wired internet that's not working.
13:00:54 Oh, waiting on Kate, Greg. But we have a forum. Yeah.
13:01:00 Okay.
13:01:03 Did they have a presentation?
13:01:04 Sounds good.
13:01:07 Oh, I can't plug in in front of you right now, but I don't think so.
13:01:12 Okay, so I need to do the they did not have a PowerPoint, but they had materials in the packet, right?
13:01:18 Let's Kate, bring her up. Yeah. Joe or Carey, you're gonna share screen and present materials or what?
13:01:24 No, we were just gonna go over, I just wanted to go over what we turned in.
13:01:28 Okay. And I will share my screen.
13:01:32 Okay, that will work. Thank you.
13:01:39 Great.
13:01:35 We haven't even been yet. Do you, Greg, are you gonna share?
13:01:44 Well, I mean, I guess if everyone's virtual except you, I can. I don't know.
13:01:49 Okay.
13:01:49 Sure. Well, I'll keep going. We'll see how it goes. I'll call us back out of recess and.
13:01:54 And, please let me know if it becomes problematic, but. Hi, Joel.
13:02:00 Hi, Kari. It's good to see you guys and, eager to see we have going on.
13:02:05 So take it away with your budget presentation.
13:02:08 Okay, well, I think last time when I did this I had a PowerPoint this time I don't of course but I wasn't really sure where to start at.
13:02:21 If I should just start with, the requests that we have. Does that make sense?
13:02:28 That sounds good.
13:02:30 So, you know, with it was going over the general. The general fund monies. You know, we have we take in some revenue.
13:02:46 Throughout throughout the year and, have been, you know, allocated our budget by the county, our money.
13:02:55 But then there were some additions that we wanted to add. Do that. And I don't know if you're able to.
13:03:03 To have to put that up there, Judy.
13:03:08 Here there.
13:03:09 Form A.
13:03:13 For the
13:03:13 Hold on.
13:03:17 For the general budget. The general.
13:03:19 Alright, let me get that.
13:03:21 Getting there. I'm glad you have this thanks.
13:03:27 You're gonna go to a different spot though.
13:03:42 Well, this is like a big book that has it for the whole county.
13:03:45 Yes. They're on section 14. But their ads wasn't, I didn't see their ads.
13:04:02 Okay. That's periodicord and you should be just hopefully. Before superior.
13:04:12 They're one.
13:04:18 Okay, bear with me, Joe.
13:04:20 It's all right. No, I've just thinking in the future, I guess this is something I should have had.
13:04:24 No, if So here we have the, summary and if you want me to go to the actual one.
13:04:34 Oh, you're being past their super support. So let me.
13:04:42 We got time. Okay, I'll relax. No worries. Okay.
13:05:01 So I'm gonna stop share and I'm gonna try to find them.
13:05:05 Sorry about that.
13:05:08 And then we have an hour budget for you guys, so no problem.
13:05:11 You do, I didn't know. We do. What's that?
13:05:17 Yeah.
13:05:14 So why don't you just fill some space? Okay. Do some fancy share of stuff for it.
13:05:21 Yeah.
13:05:22 So, that's why we pay you the big, stuff. Yeah, and talk about your staffing situation.
13:05:34 Yeah, it looks at your org chart. I mean, it seems like the real problem is Corrections officers.
13:05:40 Which is a sort of the never ending story, isn't it?
13:05:40 Yeah, well the correct, yeah, it's been a couple of years now we've been down.
13:05:44 Well, and there been some people that have come and gone too, so we've, traditionally been down 6 corrections officers.
13:05:59 Yeah, we just.
13:05:52 And then, you know, the board approved the hiring incentives and the retention bonuses. You know, if we take those out and people left, that hopefully we're cooking what we
paid them.
13:06:04 Yeah, so my understanding is that is being paid back. I know we had one person leave that caught the money.
13:06:11 Okay, so here's the request form and. I thought that this could just kind of.
13:06:18 Guide the conversation a little bit, but, so if you don't know, we, have entered into a law enforcement contract again with the whole try out on the West End.
13:06:31 They're, their police department they set up. Didn't work out. So, So, and before we were getting 200,000 a year for that and now it's gone up to 2 75 and the 2,000 a year was
something that that was how much we were getting for a number of years.
13:06:54 So with that with that extra revenue, some of the stuff that we wanted to do with that was.
13:07:01 We wanted to and this doesn't quite spell it out exactly but we're it says additional deputy for the whole contract what we wanted to use that money for was to continue our
overhire deputy.
13:07:16 So that, money would be used for that. We have a deputy that's retiring in December.
13:07:21 And what we'd like to do is be able to hire someone to replace that person. And. Because it takes a while, takes a number of months to get them up.
13:07:31 So
13:07:32 Yeah, and, you know, overheard is typically don't require additional budget authority. They typically use vacancy savings.
13:07:41 And so, you know, I did talk to Andy about how having an additional deputy, but I, you know, I told him that it wouldn't be for the West End that would.
13:07:51 You know, that we would continue to support the
13:07:54 Okay, well, so that was one thing we that I wanted to use that money for was to support the overheard position.
13:08:01 Right.
13:08:01 Maybe that doesn't have to come out of that. And then.
13:08:04 I'm not, I'm not sure. Additional budget is necessary. And I, I think as we move towards the recommended budget for the board, we'll kind of analyze.
13:08:20 Okay.
13:08:16 Our experience with that over and see if this, budget is actually necessary. But in the in the budget book, the, staffing description for the sheriff's office.
13:08:29 Talks about. Deputy for South County and that's what we've been hearing at our community meetings.
13:08:36 Is that in here?
13:08:40 Yes.
13:08:37 Well, that. Yes, and so that we thought. We looked at that for 2025. My idea was to kinda ease into that, I guess you'd say, But that was something that I would I would like
to see and this money could make that a possibility.
13:08:58 To do that. So, but that's in the 2025 one and if there was a way we could do that right now.
13:09:05 You know, the sooner the better. But, I just I wanted people to kind of get used to the idea of adding another deputy for South County before we actually.
13:09:17 Pulled the trigger on funding that. So.
13:09:20 So in your budget description, it's got for 2023 the current budget has 52.9 FTEs.
13:09:28 For the sheriff's office and then 2024 has 53.9 and 2025 has.
13:09:46 Yeah.
13:09:35 54.9. So it looks like you're adding one each year. So as the next is a 2024 one for the whole or I'm confused now.
13:09:54 Yeah, 2024 one for the whole or I'm confused now. Yeah, 2024 is the whole because what we're looking at here is on the first line and the expenditure.
13:09:58 And I, I think that, you know, Andy and I, under the impression that we needed to fund that over hire as as as a thing.
13:10:08 And
13:10:07 Yeah, typically overhires are not funded with additional budget. They're covered by vacancy savings.
13:10:16 Okay, and that's how it has been funded as my understanding through the vacant statements that we've had.
13:10:21 So I would say that the where it says additional deputy for the whole contract, we already have 2 deputies that live out.
13:10:27 On the home provide law enforcement out there and they would be still they would cover the hoe as part of their duties.
13:10:36 So we don't need to hire another deputy for out there. And I think the kind of a The idea was, and I, I guess, you know, looking at it now, probably wasn't right, but you know,
the money for the whole try would be used to fund a deputy.
13:10:54 And that deputy again just and I guess we were wrong on that but would have been for the overhire for this year and then for next year.
13:11:02 We would want to use that money to fund. The over hire and South County deputy if that makes any sense.
13:11:12 The whole money for South County?
13:11:14 Yes.
13:11:15 Okay, I don't understand why the whole money would fund South County. Okay. Hmm.
13:11:26 Go ahead, Mark.
13:11:30 So when the 200,000 disappeared. When they're for their own law enforcement. The county kept funding the West End.
13:11:40 At existing. So the general fund at 8 to 200,000 and staffing in the shares department wasn't reduced or anything.
13:11:49 So now again the revenue back and now they want to add deputies. And I had a conversation with the.
13:11:57 And I said, no. The county 8 a couple of 100 like 400,000 over 2 years.
13:12:03 And so. When that money comes back, it's just general fund revenue that can be used for any general fund.
13:12:12 And I told Andy that the overhire could continue. And that, like I said, twice already that overliers are typically covering with vacancy settings and the sheriff has a numerous
vacancies.
13:12:26 So so this when my recommended budget is published. And this is gonna look different.
13:12:35 Okay. And Yeah, and as far as the home money being used for the South County Deputy and I guess I'm.
13:12:43 I don't I'm not quite understanding it all the way but my thought was like I get part of it that the money from the whole contract we go into the general fund and then therefore
we would have extra money if you want to say that could be used to fund a South County deputy.
13:12:59 So.
13:12:59 Because I think I'm speaking, I'm speaking. If anyone else, I mean, Greg, okay, but I feel like that totally makes sense, a deputy for South County.
13:13:09 And if we can figure out how to fund it for 24 and 25, that would be great.
13:13:15 But I, this all this. Shell games confusing. Right. And requests like this need to be considered in the full context of the general fund.
13:13:24 Because our. Our user fees for Jeff Commer are increasing the 100,000 a year. And our insurance premiums are increasing substantially again.
13:13:36 And, you know, the board approved substantial pay increases for staff and so we need to balance all of these requests.
13:13:45 And so when you're looking at individual requests, you're not seeing the full context. You're seeing each department's wishes.
13:14:04 Right.
13:13:53 And then later in the budget development. I haven't I haven't given you my shot at the full contact.
13:14:08 Okay, well I was just I just wanna go on record saying I think it would be great if we could figure out how to find some county for 24 and 25.
13:14:15 When the cell game washes out. I don't know what's gonna happen, but. That would be ideal.
13:14:21 Yeah, and just on that the idea would be I know in the past we've tried to have a South County deputy, but then they would get pulled north if they were something going on up
here and that that could potentially be the case depending on how serious the incident is.
13:14:37 But this idea is that they would stay down in South County for their whole shift and they would be it would be one deputy that is the South County deputy.
13:14:46 You know what I mean? So the people could get to know. And whatnot.
13:14:48 Well, given the distances that deputies have to travel to respond to calls in South County, having a deputy station there makes a great deal of sense.
13:14:58 Yeah, so however that can work out that's and if I need to redo something on this I'm sure, however that could work out.
13:15:07 That's and if I need to redo something on this, I'm sure someone will let me know.
13:15:08 I also want to say that I know that there's other departments that need money to and I'm not saying that that we are that we need everything we ask for.
13:15:20 So, I don't wanna, I know that's kind of been. An idea in the past that the sheriff's office is the most important department in the county and everything we ask for we should
get and I don't agree with that.
13:15:33 So anyway, these are these are things that that we think are necessary. And anyway, so shall I move on from that part?
13:15:43 Well, Joe, one last comment I would make is the search and rescue vehicle might be eligible for Title 3 monies.
13:15:52 And so, Judy and I will take a look at someone 47. And I think we looked at it before I think it is, isn't it?
13:16:05 Yeah, it is
13:16:03 Yes.
13:16:04 I don't think I didn't think it was. I my understanding of the title 3 money was that it was only for replacement of equipment that got damaged on an actual mission.
13:16:16 So anyway, I don't know if that's changed.
13:16:15 Oh, yeah, we need to take. Hey, to take a look at it and if we can.
13:16:23 And we can ask for an MS. Mrsc interpretation. We can, We can go to other.
13:16:31 And that. And to me that's totally because the title 3 money is the money we get from the fads, correct?
13:16:38 Yes.
13:16:38 And the majority of our search and rescue missions are on forest service land. So we, you know, we have to respond to those.
13:16:45 And I did ask that question in a WASAP Washington Association and counties forum and other counties have used Title 3 monies for Sir, search and rescue equipment, not repairing
it for acquiring it.
13:16:57 So. My understanding is that it's something that other counties have done.
13:17:01 Okay, yeah, it's been a number of years since I when I used to being actually in charge.
13:17:08 Even though I'm still in charge of it, but for the department, it was that it could only be replace, equipment that was damaged at a mission.
13:17:17 So which didn't make sense to me because all the equipment we used is for search and rescue.
13:17:22 . Majority of time. So yes, that would be, you know, search and rescue has calls have been rising over the years and, right now they have a donated vehicle and then we let them
use an old ambulance that we had.
13:17:40 To respond to these things, but. COVID really made a lot of people more people go hiking. There's a lot more.
13:17:48 Technology like a little in reach devices and the new. I know iPhone, the new iPhone, I think the 4 teams have capability to double as a satellite phone for making 9 1 one calls.
13:18:02 So we were getting more calls for service and some of them aren't ones that would normally, you know, people wouldn't have called before.
13:18:12 I mean, we've had them where people say they're too tired too tired to hike out, you know, but they're things that need to be responded to.
13:18:23 So, that, would be an important thing. The, the Continue the mental health navigator services with, you know, discovery behavioral health.
13:18:32 We wanted to. You know, the grant that was provided by Waspic was not supposed to be used as something all the time.
13:18:41 It was temporary to get a program going. So we wanna continue that and we're sharing the cost.
13:18:46 With discovery behavioral health they agreed to share the cost of that. So that's something that we want to continue to do.
13:18:55 We find it beneficial for the for the department and for the people of the county.
13:19:00 Hey, Joe, I'm sorry. So you're saying like, 25 K is the Sheriff Department's total cost going forward to keep the navigator going in partnership with.
13:19:08 Yes. Yeah. Yes. That's cool.
13:19:10 Wow, that's great. That's a quite a savings.
13:19:15 Well, that's what we thought. And, you know, fortunately, you know, Jim Nabelli is totally on board, you know, for that.
13:19:22 And if you don't know, our navigator actually is an employee of discovery behavioral health.
13:19:27 So, it works out for everybody even though it works out of our office. Yeah.
13:19:32 Hey Joe, going back to title 3. I'm at the USDA website and One of the items, eligible items is to cover training costs and equipment purchases directly related to emergency
services.
13:19:49 Well, that would be it.
13:19:49 So. Yeah. And that's what I confirmed with other counties. Yeah.
13:19:57 So is that something that we would pursue or?
13:20:05 Okay.
13:20:01 Well, you know, Judy and I would have to work out. The funding of that acquisition, but it wouldn't all be general fun.
13:20:10 We could split the cost between. Title 3 and the general fund if the board decides that's funded.
13:20:17 How many?
13:20:17 Okay. Okay, thank you.
13:20:23 Oh, that's right. Cause that's, that's right. It's not.
13:20:20 Good to know how much we have in Title 3. Don't worry. Okay. It accumulates over time.
13:20:38 Okay.
13:20:31 Yeah, but we did appropriate a fair amount to cover the cost of the So John, if I can ask the question, the additional vehicle.
13:20:44 Yes.
13:20:46 That. Well, who's what's that for?
13:20:49 Okay, that would be for the for the deputies. So on the sheet here, it's referring to that whole deputy, but if there was a South County deputy, that would be the yearly cost.
13:21:03 For a vehicle.
13:21:04 Okay.
13:21:06 But I'm sorry, Joe, I know we gotta work that out and I'm totally in favor of the South County, you know, whenever it works out in the budget, but.
13:21:11 Huh.
13:21:14 You already have 2 vehicles out on the West End already, right?
13:21:17 Yes, so yeah, so if there was a let's just say and the when I look at this now and see that additional deputy.
13:21:24 For the whole contract. We're not gonna have 3 deputies out there. We 2 deputies.
13:21:30 Is good. And they each have a car. So, . That I think if if you just replace it.
13:21:39 For the whole contract to South County that would be the. The vehicle for the new South County.
13:21:46 That would be a whole new position. That would need a car too. Be able to do their job.
13:21:53 Is that?
13:21:53 This is going to be additional cost in the South County too, right? You're gonna have to rent a space from the fire department or, you know.
13:21:59 Well, we're not we're not we're not sure what we're gonna do there.
13:22:02 You know, I mean, from the old days when we had a South County deputy, you know, times it all the deputies now have computers in their car.
13:22:10 They're told their car is totally available to be an office if you wanna say, although we would like to have a place where people could come and do business or visit or whatever.
13:22:20 And You know, one thing we've been offered a space at the community center. If we wanted it and we've had spaces at the school before and at the fire departments and we never
we've never paid in the past to have a have a place there, whether that would change, I don't know, but I would like to have a place where people could come or know that they have,
you know, that's
13:22:43 where the deputy is going to be during the day or whatever, but my idea would be the deputy would be out patrolling.
13:22:51 Doing those kinds of things.
13:22:55 Another thing on here and it's a big expense is the, upgrade of the protective gear for the crisis response team.
13:23:05 We have some deputies that are that receive some. Extra training to be able to respond. More effectively to things like school shootings, you know, whatever active shooters
I should say.
13:23:17 And the equipment they have. . And is Like, well, you like it says they're 13 years old.
13:23:28 Most, I should say all the equipment they have and most all vests, protective, you know, bulletproof vest and stuff expire after 5 years.
13:23:34 So right now they're using equipment that's well past the expiration date and.
13:23:40 So not only is it unsafe, I think it also raises some liability issues if something was to happen.
13:23:48 So that That is something that I think needs to have some serious consideration. I, it's one of those expenses that I wish we didn't have to pay for, but.
13:23:58 Kind of goes along with being able to respond to to the worst case scenarios if you want to say.
13:24:07 So, and then there's the, we have a, you know, we have out here at the office we have.
13:24:12 Rec, we have interview rooms, we have 2 interview rooms, one that's called a soft in every room, one's a hard interview room being that one is for like victims or you know child
children and whatnot and the other ones more for you know suspects or things of that nature.
13:24:29 And the equipment in there is 20 years old. It's not reliable anymore. Sometimes you get done and that didn't record.
13:24:37 And that's, you know, that's important for, you know, moving cases forward through the court, collecting evidence and whatnot.
13:24:44 So.
13:24:49 So that's the asks that we have and I don't know if there's any other questions.
13:24:55 Oh, I'll now, then we'll go to 2025. Thank you.
13:24:59 So it's basically the same exact thing. And again, I would I was thinking of the whole deputy as the over hire.
13:25:09 And that that was being described that it would be with the whole money because it's coming from that contract.
13:25:17 And then the South County deputy would be. For 2025.
13:25:22 Oh, so Joe, this whole contract is in here again, at 275,000.
13:25:27 We get that every year.
13:25:32 Yes.
13:25:29 You get 275 every year. Bye. Okay, that's a third of the contract.
13:25:39 Well, if it's a 3 year, yeah.
13:25:38 What do you mean? Oh, yeah. Yeah, so it's, S 2 75 per year.
13:25:48 Okay.
13:25:51 But if we don't need to pay for this whole contract or vehicle rental. If we already have a vehicle out there then.
13:25:59 Or are there vehicles on the West End rented? I don't know.
13:26:03 Well, we went through the count, but when it says rental, that we get them through the county.
13:26:08 If that's we pay a rental, we pay every month for the vehicles.
13:26:11 So if there's one out there, is that? Still is that fee still required.
13:26:19 Okay.
13:26:17 Yes. Well, no, I mean, not on here. We There's no plan and this is I guess confusing.
13:26:25 There's no plan to hire. The whole deputies.
13:26:28 Okay, but these these are being characterized as additions to the budget, but this isn't we don't really need these additions.
13:26:35 Is that what I'm hearing?
13:26:37 I think so. And I guess I would say if we had. An over hired deputy.
13:26:45 We would probably need a vehicle for them. I'd have to double check on that. Because the, but I, we would need a vehicle for them because it's gonna be an overhead.
13:26:56 They would need to have a vehicle. The South County deputy would definitely have to have a vehicle.
13:27:03 There would be no additional vehicles needed on the west end. What's that?
13:27:08 So basically I see this form changing to remove the whole contract. Possibly the vehicle rental and maintaining a South County deputy in.
13:27:23 Yes.
13:27:20 For 25 or 25. And then if, and then let's go up to 24, So in 24 we're looking at.
13:27:34 Probably removing that additional deputy for whole contract and if it's feasible to do the South County deputy there.
13:27:42 Right, and it would not only be the additional deputy, but also that vehicle plus equipment. Would go away for the whole depth.
13:27:51 Yes, I'm here.
13:27:51 But. I take that. I could erase this right now, I'd erase additional deputy for the hoe and put in South County deputy there and leave everything else the same.
13:28:02 So I have a question about the South County W that we don't have, but you've talked about several different types of expenditures.
13:28:13 Have we done any kind of a budget projection as to what that is going to cost. On the aspect of the Saudi wages, of course you've got that, but.
13:28:19 Vehicle, if there's space we have to pay for just. Some kind of an idea of what an annual and annual budget for that position would be.
13:28:30 Yeah.
13:28:30 Yeah, you know, well, we aren't anticipate a cost for space. Not at this point.
13:28:37 Okay.
13:28:40 We would, we would. Either not have a space or we've already been offered one space. I know the school,ing schools offered us a space.
13:28:49 And so has the.
13:28:52 Brandon Pyre.
13:28:53 And then, you know, we're, I'm sure that if we really had to, we could get a space with the fire department.
13:29:01 And there's no, living expenses or anything like that.
13:29:05 No, they would they would. We can't make somebody live down there. So, but the couple of the people we have in mind already live in Quilcy.
13:29:14 Okay.
13:29:14 So. That would be a good too.
13:29:22 Thank you.
13:29:22 So the they'd already be there. They could have their house be their department little office. No, we wouldn't do that.
13:29:30 Hey, did you have any questions or comments? Sorry to see everyone on the screen.
13:29:34 Yeah, I'm curious, Joe. Like it is, do you struggle to hire deputies still or is that getting a little easier to come by?
13:29:44 We've been we've been fortunate with Deputy. We already we like we have a deputy right now from Colon that wants to come here.
13:29:52 We don't. We don't have a problem hiring deputies. It's the corrections officers.
13:29:59 Okay.
13:29:58 There's lots of and since I'm such a great sheriff, there's all these people wanna come work.
13:30:07 I'm just teasing with that, but it really is true. We have lots of people that want to come work here.
13:30:13 On patrol, but the jail is another thing. And I should say a lot of. People that are patrol minded, you don't want to get a job, patrol don't want to work in the jail.
13:30:25 Okay. Thank you.
13:30:28 Yes.
13:30:32 So I don't know if there's any other questions if.
13:30:39 Oh.
13:30:37 Well, did you want to talk about corrections at all? Where is there? You ask just please give us some staff or.
13:30:44 Well, for corrections,
13:30:50 So right now in Corrections, we have. 9 corrections officers. By my account and the and then David Fertino the chief of corrections so we're down 6 We are participating in some.
13:31:09 Job fairs. But it's just it's hard to get people to wanna come out.
13:31:17 We have the incentive, they get good pay. But, it's just really been tough and I should say it's not just us, it's all over.
13:31:24 Washington State, you know, trying to find corrections officers.
13:31:29 But, you know, in the jail, one thing in the jail is I know we don't have it on here.
13:31:36 I think it's included in the budget, but you know the medical costs have really. You know, gone up, you know, having to, you know, to.
13:31:44 And trying to find medical providers that will service a small jail. Is getting more difficult. So I know that It seems like a year or 2 ago, the contract in the jail went up
for medical and we redid it and we had to ask for some more money to pay for that.
13:32:05 But what will happen next time, I don't know. As far as will they, you know, what are we gonna do, you know, to make that happen?
13:32:16 My, wish would be that it could all be locally and you know with local doctor nurses.
13:32:20 But people don't necessarily want to work just they don't wanna work in a jail. And, you know, I know I've tried, it's been a number of years now, but I tried working on something
with like JGH to provide medical care but they weren't interested, it just wasn't cost effective to.
13:32:39 To do that. So.
13:32:44 Yeah, the jail, you know, we're, in my opinion, we're doing some good things in there.
13:32:50 You know, we do have the residential drug treatment, you know, substance treatment program going through a through a grant.
13:32:58 We've been handing out Naloxone now when people get released.
13:33:02 Trying to trying to do things to. You know, could put a stop to recidivism, but, you know, it's, you know, then, and thank goodness the corrections officers aren't revolting
that from working so much over time.
13:33:16 But. It's, it'd be nice if we could get some more staff in there.
13:33:25 And, and I'm, and, you know, like Mark mentioned, you know, that we have had the, you know, the incentive, the bonus pay.
13:33:30 Which which did bring in a couple people. But. You know, and I'm, I'm not.
13:33:38 Complaining but but other 8, you know, and I'm not suggesting that we offer more necessarily, but you know, other agencies like Seattle and King County that you know they're
offering.
13:33:47 Large amounts and they are getting some people to be hired but they they're still you know everyone's struggling to find people to work in jails.
13:33:58 Hey, Joe, I mean, is the jail? We were talking earlier with district court about how how their reactive customer base has gone down so much and I'm wondering Good the jail be
shrunk?
13:34:13 Oh, you know.
13:34:14 You know, what is what is the like population of it compared to you know 2,019 and before and how do you see it trending?
13:34:21 That is something that that's a good point and that is something, you know, that should probably be looked at.
13:34:28 So, that's, . That's a. A fair question. You know, and I remember joking about that when COVID came, they're gonna, we're gonna get, we need to get rid of the jail.
13:34:43 But, yeah, and that, that is something that's, that's a good point.
13:34:49 That is something to look at. Because I know the population has, you know, it's it's definitely decreased.
13:34:54 And you know and we are you know dependent on what the course decide to do too you know as far as incarcerating people and whatnot.
13:35:02 So.
13:35:05 Yeah.
13:35:05 I think that will be a big. Conversation in coming years at the state level too. So last year one of Wisex priorities was to get a jail study funded and that will be happening
in 24 and i think completed by 25 and the current Democratic caucus is very interested in in the results of that study and then looking at how to modernize jails.
13:35:34 And so I think there will be a potentially some capital funding available, but we really should consider the timing of that as we do our own capital planning within the county.
13:35:47 And, you know, I do think that the way we think about jails is, changing a little bit right now and you know, we should be thinking about the future.
13:35:57 And I should say the DEMS aren't actually that interested in building new jails. They're interested in building more modern facilities that serve different functions.
13:36:09 Including incarceration, but obviously a big much bigger emphasis on. And behavioral health interventions.
13:36:17 So, Let's let's keep in close contact about all that.
13:36:22 I agree that is something. That I think, yeah. And Yeah, not.
13:36:30 Yeah, all these thoughts are coming through my head. Yeah, looking at it differently, you know.
13:36:37 Maybe have enough regional facility. I don't know, or a complex of a campus that has always different things on it that we all participate in.
13:36:46 Because I'm sure we're not the only jail that, has reduced population.
13:36:52 I think that's, and that's probably what was talked about at your conference that that seems to be the trend everywhere.
13:36:57 So.
13:36:57 Yeah. And I think the better. Propelled we can be in terms of like identifying what our needs are and.
13:37:06 What that could look like that position as well for the funding if and when that becomes available
13:37:14 Yup, I'm gonna write that down. Yeah, I think that's.
13:37:20 That's a good thing to be ahead of and I think that's something that. That we in Jefferson County usually
13:37:30 Are good at planning ahead and coming up with something new that. That can solve problems. So that's, yeah.
13:37:40 Agreed.
13:37:44 Great. Any other last questions? Kari, I don't know if you had anything to add.
13:37:49 Love to hear from you if you did. Thanks for your work on this.
13:37:52 Microphone's not working. Her microphone is not working. I can hear yelling from the other room.
13:37:54 Oh. Okay, yeah. Good plan, good.
13:37:59 You have anything to add? No, nothing more to add.
13:38:04 Okay, great.
13:38:05 And I don't know, sorry, it came off kinda. I don't know what I was really thinking.
13:38:10 I guess I should have went with a PowerPoint. It's this gives you a place to start and.
13:38:16 To move forward but Again, I appreciate you taking the time to, in, you know, to set these up and listen to what we have to say.
13:38:28 And, and I know that we are. Not just one thing in a See you of all these other departments.
13:38:35 So, you know. We need to do what's best for the. County and the citizens so.
13:38:40 That's why you were the wise elected commissioners to, this all out.
13:38:46 Yeah, yeah, well, yeah, butter us up. You're supposed to butter us up before you ask us for the money.
13:38:51 Okay.
13:38:49 Oh. I was, I must be serious. Yeah, about having to, you know, doing one budgets one thing but having to then Mel them all together.
13:39:04 That's a whole other thing.
13:39:05 Yeah.
13:39:16 Yeah.
13:39:24 Thank you.
13:38:51 No. Hmm. Yeah, well I do I do like seeing the focus on JSR, you know, recognizing their partnership with the sheriff's office and hopefully we can find some Title $3 to at least
mitigate the cost and and it's I think it's great news about DVH is partnership with the navigator program too so Yeah, I like seeing your priorities outlined like that.
13:39:30 Thanks, you guys.
13:39:33 Thanks so much.
13:39:28 Okay. Well, unless there's, you know, where to reach me. Yeah. Alright, thank you.
13:39:38 Alright, next step is Prosecutor Kennedy. Is he, in the chambers yet?
13:39:44 Joining.
13:39:47 Okay. Okay.
13:39:44 No, they're coming online and I couldn't right now. They're hopping on. They weren't scheduled till 2.
13:39:52 So I mean, today's agenda is in these 1Â h time blocks. Well, I let them all know some, estimated queue times and I had an estimated Q time of 1 45.
13:40:01 So I just let her know that the shared department budget wrapped up. So she's gonna have one.
13:40:05 Okay.
13:40:05 And I see Judge Brandon Mac is already there, so he'll be up next after Prosecutor.
13:40:11 I mean, technically. Well, IT's okay for us to not stick to the time. It's okay for us to not stick to the time because there's no set time on the agenda.
13:40:20 . You. First time We predicted that long they would take, but only at 10'clock time.
13:40:26 As posted at least.
13:40:25 Okay. Agenda. Okay. Okay.
13:40:33 I see tomorrow. Okay.
13:40:38 Good to know. And we did that time for the last annually. Usually we're the last to know.
13:40:47 Yeah, he's far more flexibility. Yeah, had I not known Prosecutor's office was jumping on.
13:40:55 I would say queue up brand and Mac, but they're coming. So.
13:40:58 Okay, well we'll just
13:41:03 Okay.
13:41:03 Wait for a moment.
13:41:15 Dances in the building.
13:41:19 I see. Hello.
13:41:19 Oh. Here's the, here's the up there, and now the walking in the room.
13:41:30 Alright, are you gonna lead us through this James?
13:41:34 Yeah.
13:41:37 Excellent. Okay. Happy to have you here. Please, yeah, take us through your.
13:41:42 Your budget request, 2425.
13:41:44 Alright, thank you. So I'm gonna keep this. Fairly simple as, I'm not making any major requests except for 2 items.
13:41:54 Most of it is, fairly standard with respect to The services. And Coroner, but no major changes there.
13:42:06 Within prosecuting attorney's office. There are 2 areas in which I'm requesting.
13:42:15 But budget increase, And so. The reasons for those are contained in the materials that I submitted.
13:42:24 To the board, however, I'm going to supplement that with a little bit of a statement here and I'm also gonna ask Bill.
13:42:30 To elaborate a little bit on the, second per legal position that's being requested.
13:42:37 So.
13:42:39 What is included in. In the materials is at a request for essentially it's about $10,000.
13:42:49 Okay, an annual fee to maintain a case management system. So I'm not I've not included the request for the case management system itself.
13:43:07 That was, for the, board on Monday. Well, and approved. Okay, excellent.
13:43:15 And so this is also most of this pitch was going to be about that. So, I guess I'll go through it a little bit quicker than and I appreciate the board moving of that.
13:43:25 The $10,000 this week who can do the payments cost to keep it going. I'm not gonna say that you've never had case management software before.
13:43:34 And we've been getting by without one. For years but our ability to continue to do so is really coming to an end.
13:43:43 The software that we requested is currently used in 21 counties throughout the state included some of our smaller fellow companies such as Pacific, software will allow us to
better manage discovery.
13:43:58 Which was that issue we were recently ordered to conduct in trial. This was based on discovery that was not turned over to the defense but the problem was we didn't have it
either because we didn't even know what existed.
13:44:11 This will give us a computer system that will talk directly to the systems used by law enforcement. Will be notified directly and automatically.
13:44:19 But new discovery has been uploaded on to evans.com, which is the. Database and system that's used by both the shared our software and the, department instead of having to hunt
for it in those databases manually or selves.
13:44:33 The nature of criminal discovery is changing. We are far, we have far more of it than we used to and a lot of that is related to body cans.
13:44:42 It is barely manageable right now. It's up a lot of county storage space before. Simple law enforcement contact that might have resulted in a 2 or 3 page report.
13:44:53 Or something as simple as trespassing. Now comes with video. For the entire law enforcement contact.
13:45:00 Typical contact for something of that nature might be one to 2Â h because I mentioned it typically be a fairly short report because the facts underlying facts are not very complicated
and most of that time would be.
13:45:14 Law enforcement showing up, figuring out what's going on. And basically trying to problem solve maybe with the individual, get them out of there, find out where they can go,
site, or maybe get both depending on circumstances, but the contact might be one or 2Â h.
13:45:31 Well, body cameras, now that's a one or 2Â h video. And you can multiply that by as many officers that show up to the scene.
13:45:38 So something that that would might typically take 10Â min to read in a report now might have 6Â h worth of body cam footage and what a lot of officers also do is that use their
device, the body can devices to take still images.
13:45:53 Of, crime scene or evidence, like that, so we get a lot more images.
13:46:00 And so. Missing even, you know, a one page of a report or one picture can be enough to overturn case and so we're in need of a new system essentially to manage all of this.
13:46:17 You know, my hope and my understanding based on a demonstration, that a lot of this stuff. Will be basically stored in the cloud.
13:46:24 I'm hoping that that way, you know, my office can help contribute to solving. The problem with the county has with IT storage.
13:46:32 I know. It's a big vendor in that category, but it's really hard for us to.
13:46:38 Triage that stuff. What isn't important? You know, the public records, you know, that's costly if we don't do that right.
13:46:46 The kernel cases can, you know, so it's really, it's really difficult to figure out how exactly.
13:46:49 To trim the fat on that. That said, I believe based on the demonstration that I saw with the vendor that this software system can be very useful in terms of managing developers.
13:47:02 As well as voluntary treatment act cases. And so I don't make this request lightly.
13:47:13 I try to be very responsible if funds invited to me by the VOC. I try to. Coming under budget where I can.
13:47:21 I really don't see my office as a profligate spend or not that I'm accusing you know any other department off that but I just wanted, the CC to know these requests.
13:47:30 Don't come widely and I, I understand that there's always competing departments in competing needs and I really thank everyone for their continued support.
13:47:39 So we're also requesting. An additional paralegal position. This is something that has been brought to my attention and also I've been directly obs with my civil department
which consists of 2 attorneys and a paralegal.
13:47:56 But the paralegal that's, that's providing support, there isn't even really a full-time.
13:48:03 To the civil department because I'd individual is also a deputy coroner. Is someone who handles all the admin for the partner position.
13:48:14 She's the legal assistant for all of appeals, criminal, civil otherwise. And then on top of that, she's doing all civil war, which includes public records, which is extremely
time consuming.
13:48:28 Right now she doesn't really have access capacity at the moment to take on additional work. At the moment I have 2 other legal assistants.
13:48:37 And one vacancy. The 2 of them are with the other 2, you know, the, sided house.
13:48:43 And you know, they're managing, but it's really not. And hopefully when you get a third higher, that doesn't necessarily mean that, there's now access capacity to give the civil
department what it needs.
13:48:58 We tossed around the idea requesting an additional attorney but we think that a way forward without the added cost of an additional turn would be creating capacity through I'll
say that we have.
13:49:18 Excellent people in this civil division that are doing act support for the county. Everything we're doing is basically to eliminate, and, we're really busy, as I think you all
know.
13:49:37 We've been stupid busy for the last few months because of all the civil litigation. But we've also had a number of ITA so last year and that's drop everything stuff.
13:49:51 And it's really hard for us to keep everything going. Without more help and we'll get legal system, you know, that will help take some work away from lawyers.
13:50:04 There may be a period of training where It's actually worse for a little while, but, but in the long run, I think that's a.
13:50:11 Good move for the county. We really need to help, especially with Laura Michael.
13:50:21 I will say that I had a shock around, with other counties to see if any would be interested in, by way of contracts, taking ATAs off our plate, not by phone one that was, I'd
that request instead.
13:50:38 But once we're 19, But they are. They present a lot of work.
13:50:48 Is this still said drop work? That's exactly what it is. They have a very short timeline.
13:50:53 And wish they involved or needing the outside agencies. We're, providing the designated crisis responders who are.
13:51:06 Who are essentially our contact getting this information to us. Yeah. And. It is.
13:51:15 And. It's a pretty intensive war, whether it is. The current land use appeals, like, all over public records or any of the other sort of things that come across the desktop.
13:51:35 Yes. It can be very, well, it's disruptive.
13:51:45 All I have with respect to, the request going forward. Questions, I'm happy to take that.
13:51:57 Great.
13:51:53 You know, otherwise I. Thank you. So on that last Okay, I'm sorry. I don't.
13:52:02 And microphone near me. On that last item, that request is for 24 and 25, correct?
13:52:09 It's not in the in the budget book that way. So I'm just clarifying. Yes, that is, to be added to the 2425.
13:52:21 Okay, yeah, so if you're asking for a base budget add in 24, you don't have to ask for it again.
13:52:35 And so if you're asking for a base budget add in 24, you don't have to ask for it again.
13:52:38 24, you don't have to ask for it again. 24, you don't have to ask for it again.
13:52:40 So if you're asking for a base budget add in 24, you don't have to ask for it again.
13:52:44 24, you don't have to ask for it again. 25. You don't have to ask for it again. 25.
13:52:47 Cause if it's approved and 24, it's gonna I appreciated the clear explanation on this matter though on the budget book and it made sense to me and it makes sense that We don't
have our civil deputy attorneys doing their own clerical work.
13:53:00 Which is, I understand something that happens. Now, and then also having to drop everything. To deal with the ITAs at no notice basically.
13:53:10 Makes perfect sense to me. That that is completely jarring when you're working on something.
13:53:17 A case or something and then you have to like put that aside and And then a commissioner calls. Oh, I get it.
13:53:26 I totally get it.
13:53:29 Okay.
13:53:30 Yeah.
13:53:30 Yeah, the enforcement revenue that, is reported not on this, this spreadsheet obviously but That that does not stay within the department does it is that just that's recovered
for the.
13:53:49 For the family, is that correct?
13:53:53 So we have. The money that you'll see there is money that's coming to the county.
13:54:03 It's basically We bill our hours, per contract with DSA test and then they reimburses for the hour spent basically.
13:54:13 Working on their cases.
13:54:15 Okay, interesting. I didn't realize that. Okay.
13:54:19 Yeah, and it provides commercial funding for our transport. Enforcement officer. This Phyllis who's here, she's also our office standard or office administrator.
13:54:33 So it pays 80% of our salaries. Plus it pays. That the civil division spending on you know spoke cases.
13:54:46 I'm glad to hear there's some cost recovery there.
13:54:52 Yeah, I'll just say really, appreciate the ask and the necessity for the software and the annual maintenance is made been pretty clear to the you know what happened this summer
so so not sure if it's great to have an empirical argument for your for your case here, but we do.
13:55:11 So appreciate that and I definitely want to. Preserve capacity and you know for both the criminal and the simple side of your office, James.
13:55:22 So. Appreciate this. I don't have any questions. You guys provide a lot of value and protection for that for the county.
13:55:28 So really do appreciate your work and this makes a lot of sense. We're not of course making decisions today, but any other questions?
13:55:33 Okay.
13:55:36 Yeah, maybe just. Oh, thank you for pulling this up, Judy. This is helpful.
13:55:43 And I'm sorry that I don't know this, but where does our our grant from the state for indigent defense come in to does that is that reflected?
13:55:54 Here.
13:56:02 Good.
13:55:55 That would be my budget. I think that that goes. I think that that goes, yeah, okay, non-.
13:56:11 You're gonna direct you over to this side of the table over here. It's so my office has really nothing to do with that at all, which is why when the county, it's so my office
has really nothing to do with that at all, which is why when the county engages in contract, we get My office, does not get involved.
13:56:22 So we're, really kinda isolated from, all defense and any fighting for it.
13:56:30 And is that by design?
13:56:34 It's by statute. Yeah. That's design.
13:56:36 Yeah, that's. Good design, yeah. Okay, okay. Thank you.
13:56:46 Great. Well, thank you guys very much for this. Any other questions or comments for James, Yes.
13:56:53 You said all your work. Trying not to call more than I have to. Thank you.
13:57:00 I always think twice before I call, but appreciate all your work.
13:57:04 Appreciate that. Thank you.
13:57:13 Alright, yeah, let's bring Yeah, judge Mac over.
13:57:08 Right, and he's except for not Okay. That's not any good. Promotion to panelists, Caroline says, yeah, he's coming now.
13:57:21 Okay. You didn't hear me.
13:57:29 I was gonna pop down in person if you all need a 2Â min stretch break but if you're ready to if you're ready to go on go I can just go right from my office.
13:57:37 Oh, come on down.
13:57:38 My iPhone. Hi, phone watch just told me to stand up so yeah, I'll stand up the new lockdown.
13:57:44 Let's. I'll be down in a second.
13:57:48 Alright.
13:57:47 Okay. Okay, I think that, help me stand up. I know mine just did too. I see.
13:57:56 Yeah.
13:58:00 Actually, like it, but it's always gonna stand up. Oh, you watch? Yeah. Okay.
13:58:09 . The. Let me see here. There's just this right here.
13:58:17 Okay. No, I must be that long.
13:58:34 Yeah.
13:58:31 I like it Judy standing up and still trying to work too. That's good.
13:58:40 Good. Good. We're still on video. Yeah.
13:58:48 I can pause it though. So we, we are, well, actually, it'd be good for anyone who watches that right.
13:58:58 Everyone can take a moment here. We're still in session. I guess. Just it'll be.
13:59:03 Be right back.
13:59:06 Oh, okay. Hey, was here should be standing.
13:59:10 Well, I was thinking you almost have bigger bladders than I do because I never have the problem of sitting for too long.
13:59:17 I have to get up and go to the bathroom.
13:59:22 It's relative that much water and train.
13:59:28 Thank you. Thanks for giving us a stress break.
13:59:35 Sorry, we couldn't be there with you in person, Brandon, but I do appreciate you coming down.
13:59:41 Yeah. How's everyone doing? Alright. Good.
13:59:51 Right, all right, we're all seated again and yeah, take it away Brandon.
13:59:51 So. Okay. Mark's not back in.
13:59:57 Oh, We'll wait for one more second. What do you?
14:00:01 Okay, one more. Good to see. Yeah.
14:00:08 Judy, do you wanna bring up? That part.
14:00:14 Are you gonna speak to the admin first or? Saying you were gonna put different pictures up in the in the courtroom up there.
14:00:28 Have you done that yet? Cause we were just talking, Judy and I were talking this morning about this room being kind of like a jail cell.
14:00:36 Yeah, I did. I did connect with one artist who, I can't remember if I was telling you this.
14:00:42 Yes, he's a carver. And foot carving. Oh, you know, civilized.
14:00:51 For a long time. Oh, cool. Trying to talk and see if he'd be wanted to show it.
14:01:00 For a long time. Oh, cool. I'm trying to talk in the, see if you'd be wanted to show it.
14:01:02 And
14:01:02 Yeah, there's some different possibilities. There was
14:01:08 Karen Robison, the F JCIPP coordination that stands for family, juvenile, quarter improvement coordinator she works with Shannon Burns.
14:01:16 She ordered a bunch of posters from the Gender and Justice Commission, which are. They're just, they're beautiful posters.
14:01:24 They're actually, you know, a, services. And so we're gonna put some of those in the corner, some in the jury room.
14:01:30 Yeah, yeah, just explain. Different messages of conclusion.
14:01:37 Yes, we're good to go.
14:01:37 Love it. Alright, well, George, Matt, please do, speaking of the microphone.
14:01:44 It's a little hard to hear you right now, so just focus on the microphone for Kate and my our benefit in the public.
14:01:48 And yeah, take us through the ask.
14:01:52 Yeah, so the one, there may be questions you have of me that would be best for Sophie to answer.
14:02:01 Sophie Northstrom, our court administrator. She's on leave for a couple of weeks.
14:02:06 So I did my best to kind of get really the nitty gritty of the budget that I would be able to answer the questions but if there's anything that we need a little more time on,
I'll just ask for that grace.
14:02:16 Probably the biggest difference. In this year's budget compared to years passes the request around. Commit the commissioners that we have.
14:02:25 I know in years past Judge Harper. He used commissioners as little as possible. I think that it was his it was his general opinion that he was the one who was elected and that
he should hear every case he can.
14:02:39 Unless he's in some kind of a jury trial or on the board is on leave and then the commissioners can handle those.
14:02:45 Those the cases at that time. And so I'm asking for a pretty significantly different budget. I think in the past.
14:02:52 He had requested around 16 or 20,000. I think I'd understood that he used more. Usually it was up in the thirties or more than that and I'm requesting.
14:03:02 About a hundred $1,000 more than that and that's for a few reasons. One is that challenging thing about being a commissioner that's just basically on call when you get You get
called in when you're needed is you never really get a sense to you never develop a sense of competence on the calendars that you're working on as the as the judicial officer because
you do them so rarely.
14:03:26 The other thing is that it's really a difficult position for them because they're always just sort of on call.
14:03:32 They don't actually, they can't sort of dedicate a time in their calendar every week to do something.
14:03:36 And then. The other thing that's Nice about having a lot of the hearings that commissioners do might be protection order hearings or family law hearings where if you disagree
with what the commissioner says, you can file what's called a motion for revision.
14:03:53 And then as the judge, I review their decision and it's basically an appeal that you get within 10 to 30 days depending on how long the.
14:04:00 How long the process is so it's really a second set of eyes on the, on the mattered or somebody gets that and then they can always go up to the court of appeals after that.
14:04:10 I'm really grateful to have, Lorraine Rimson and Vicki Forbes.
14:04:14 As our 2 commissioners they're both unbelievably experienced and practiced in law for over 20 years each.
14:04:21 Commissioner, for the specializes in a lot of our mediation and settlement as well as a lot of our juvenile and family cases.
14:04:29 She just has a really nice touch working with families and youth and helps people resolve their issues amicably out of court because generally when people have that buy-in on
creating their own outcome, they're much less likely to fight about it.
14:04:45 And then that's going to that's going to benefit not only the family but also the court system in general with the costs.
14:04:51 And then Commissioner Remsen is taking over our sort of dependency calendar, case load in our family law case load.
14:05:01 One of the things that we're working on and it's not incorporated in the budget is we're working with the Center for Children, Youth and Justice in Seattle.
14:05:07 There's talk of us getting a grant from them. Where Commissioner Remsen would be able to work with all of the tribes on the Olympic Peninsula to develop child welfare practices
both in state court and in tribal court that are that benefit families of kids 0 to 3.
14:05:26 We got a grand clown county when I was there as the court commissioner of his $600,000 grant over 5 years.
14:05:31 To do this work and then Clown County decided they didn't want it after I left. Cause I was the one who got the grand and they were in support of at the time, but they just
decided they didn't have the capacity for it no longer in their dependency petitions had been decreased.
14:05:46 So CCYJ is reaching out to the different tribes on the peninsula and Jefferson County Spirit Court to see if we're interested in that work.
14:05:53 And and commissioner rimson is really passionate about that and I think that would improve our child welfare work that we're doing with data families and all of our families.
14:06:02 In particular and she just went to a conference in Washington DC at the national conference for early childhood courts.
14:06:12 I think probably just as important as all of those reasons that I explain the other is that, There's a lot that are, it's really hot there, huh?
14:06:28 There's a lot. There's a lot that our superior court, can be doing and I approach the job as a superior court, can be doing and I approach the job as a superior court judge
is a bit like a community organizer.
14:06:33 There's an opportunity where I can connect with Discovery Behavior. I can just connect with law enforcement.
14:06:39 The prosecutor's office, defense attorney, service providers in the community to try to address. The mental health challenges the substance use challenges that our community
is experiencing that leads to the crimes that people find themselves in superior court.
14:06:56 And so how do we address those? You addressed some case, case by case. But you can also address them systematically.
14:07:04 One, you know, one of the challenges is, for example, Western State Hospital is, And so somebody commits a crime and the reason they've committed the crime is they're having
a mental health crisis.
14:07:14 So then they're in jail because they've committed a pretty serious crime and we're concerned about the community safety.
14:07:20 So they're sitting in jail and their defense attorney says to the court, well, I have concerns.
14:07:23 That my client doesn't have the capacity to understand the proceedings or help me in their defense. So then I say, okay, let's get them evaluated and they can then go get a
valuated by a psychologist who then says, yeah, we don't think that this individual's competent, let's send them to Western State Hospital.
14:07:41 So then it's gonna be about 3 to 4 months, possibly before they get a bad in Western State Hospital.
14:07:47 And meanwhile, they're gonna be sitting in jail. And then West and then the now Western City Hospital, hopefully their competency gets restored.
14:07:56 They then come back and then they can stand trial. I'm just really interested in systematically bringing some changes to not only that system, but a lot of other systems that
we work in as to how can we avoid that that scenario is there can we partner with discovery behavioral health to ensure that there's outpatient services that are available for somebody
in that situation.
14:08:18 Maybe we could partner with district court because district court has they have, probationary staff who monitor their their clients And there's some courts around the state
that have memorandums of understanding between superior court and district court so that those staff can work with some of our clients and our our staff can work with some of their
clients.
14:08:41 And that's so that's just one of the examples where what I. You know, I could spend every Wednesday doing protection orders when I'm for 3Â h when I'm not in a jury trial and
that might cut this budget down a little bit.
14:08:53 But then I feel like we're we find ourselves just barely above water just One case after another where somebody struggling with their mental health and the protection orders
become criminal cases.
14:09:04 And the criminal cases become family cases and I'm really interested in working in some systematic issues to try to.
14:09:12 Reduce a lot of the trauma that comes into our courtroom and and lead to some better outcomes. One of the things that I also would like to add in support of the request is the
administrative office of the courts used to assess every county's case load to determine how many judicial officers they should have.
14:09:33 Based on the cases and the last time they did it was 2019 and they said that Jefferson County should have 1.6 2.
14:09:40 Judicial officers if I remember correctly. And it sort of every year they did it hovered around 1.5 to 1.7 5.
14:09:47 . And. That's about that's not too far off from what we're requesting is about a point 5 judicial officer.
14:09:56 We're instead of them being vendors, we're suggesting that they be clerk higher so they would be paid for sick leave.
14:10:02 They're not they wouldn't be getting benefits. And then the other thing is they were getting paid $75 an hour.
14:10:10 Previously across the state of commissioner will generate the salary wise if you're full time commissioner gets 90% of what a judge makes.
14:10:21 Generally a protest judge or a part-time commissioner would generally make anywhere from 125 to 115Â h and attorneys who are working on cases who are appointed by the court
are generally making 100 to 125 an hour and some counties 150Â h so we're currently paying our attorney $75 an hour and our attorneys don't really wanna take that work because they
can charge
14:10:43 300 an hour in their private practice. But if we do bump that up to $100 for the attorneys, we can and we have our commissioners getting paid a hundred 25.
14:10:50 It's not only more realistic, but we also are able to better pay the commissioners who are, like I said, who are doing really great work.
14:10:58 So. And then lastly, we just, I think I've mentioned previously, but our legislature is I think passing really.
14:11:07 Interesting and. They're actively legislating a lot of cases that find their way into super court.
14:11:17 With a desire to have people be represented more. So for example, in the new civil protection order statute says that if the respondent has an attorney, the court should consider
appointing an attorney to represent the petition.
14:11:29 In landlord tenant case the tenant. Has the right to an attorney in a minor guardianship case the parents have the right to an attorney and they like to the legislature passes
these laws but they don't generally have the funding to go along with it so they basically kick it to the counties to say, hopefully you all will be able to find some of those funds
for that.
14:11:47 So. That's also another. Another kind of connection to that because I don't necessarily I'm anticipating.
14:11:59 Not needing to come back seeking any more funds from the amount that I've used and since I've only been here about 6 or 7 months up to this point every month has been really
different.
14:12:08 Right, I spent one month in trial for 4 weeks and I used a lot of hours of commissioner work and then there's been other months where I haven't had any trials so there have
been less hours so I have a pretty small sample size and it may be that in fact our budget next year doesn't use quite as much.
14:12:25 As that asking. So. We'll open for any questions.
14:12:31 Questions, Kate or Heidi? Go ahead, Kate.
14:12:34 Yeah, I've got one. I hear a lot at the state level about.
14:12:42 Kind of resolving the true blood case, this delay in competency hearings as being a major priority. Especially in the governor's budget this year.
14:12:55 Would that kind of trickle down and affect your operations at all or I assume a lot of that would be going to DSHS to be staffing the the competency evaluations but just can
you help explain kind of how that actually hits our local courts.
14:13:18 Yeah, I mean instead of spending 3 or 4 months in jail waiting to be restored, you know, hopefully they would only spend 7 to 14 days like the statute requires.
14:13:28 So that would probably come out of Sheriff Knowles budget more than anything. And separate from whether somebody is getting sent to Western state.
14:13:40 I think there's a lot of opportunities for somebody to not get sent to Western state and to try to have their competency restored in an outpatient setting.
14:13:47 Or or when there are those delays to consider outpatient opportunities in different cases. So.
14:13:57 You know, I don't know how much that would necessarily affect the budget that I'm requesting, but it's certainly a huge name.
14:14:04 But there's very few facilities. Currently doing that work, right?
14:14:10 Yeah, yeah, that in terms of the inpatient work that you're talking about or the.
14:14:15 Or outpatient, right? I mean.
14:14:17 No, I mean there's more there's more places around the state that are that are striving to create that those opportunities but it really is a that's a big It's a big endeavor
and we don't have a lot of the infrastructure here right now for it.
14:14:31 Thank you.
14:14:33 So I have a question about the clerk hire, solution. The, so you're describing kind of the inconsistency or the.
14:14:43 You know, sometimes there's a lot of need and sometimes there's a long period where there's no need.
14:14:48 Is the clerk, and this is, I've never asked this question, or so I still get first time question.
14:14:56 Clerk Kyer, does that allow you to, Kind of deal with those. Yeah, so they would they there's you know, they're still paid by the hour.
14:15:06 So, you know. Like this year. With new legislation that's passed the Department of Children youth and families has decreased the amount of their dependency case filings by.
14:15:16 More than 75%. So there's gonna be calendars where Commissioner Rimson doesn't even have a calendar on Thursday afternoon when we do our dependency cases.
14:15:25 So that would that would shift. But then also there's a whole another batch of cases that are they're not they used to be called non firm custody cases now they're called guardianship
cases where families are having to sort through these cases on their own instead of the department filing dependency petitions they're filing guardianship petitions and then that is
just a whole lot over for the commissioners to work through where generally
14:15:46 you got a point of attorney and you don't get the professional input on those cases like you do on the.
14:15:53 Dependency cases, but all of that is to say that Yeah, it is that we wouldn't be bound by that number.
14:16:01 Hopefully it would be less. Does that make sense? So I did work with, Sophie and Judge Mac on your budget in preparing their preliminary budget and we originally looked at,
you know, part-time.
14:16:13 Employees for the court commissioners. And when we looked at how many hours we're actually getting billed out historically, we found that it could be a clerk higher position
at 69Â HA month.
14:16:27 Is what that equates to. And then again, there's only sick time paid out on that.
14:16:34 There's no retirement or any of the other benefits. So, which they're fine with because they're getting benefits elsewhere.
14:16:40 So it seemed like a way to to bring them into a place where Judge Mack can, you know, continue the work he's doing.
14:16:51 That can, you know, continue the work he's doing, but not have to have such a big bite.
14:16:58 I had the same question, so it's okay.
14:16:58 I just wanted to. I I was just, the logistics of this solution.
14:17:05 Yeah, no. I appreciate, you know, we've heard from a from district court today how they're often reactive and this seems like a very proactive move I appreciate your you're
attempting to work on systems.
14:17:19 Judge Mac. So yeah, this is intriguing. And I guess what was the total before?
14:17:26 What's the difference? What that we're not doing?
14:17:30 From the, the vendor. What was that budget number?
14:17:34 In previous years it was it was generally requested about 16,000. And now it's 1 30, a hundred 36.
14:17:45 Okay, 11 if I understand it correctly, 11 of that would be. Is that the paid sick leave that you're that you have to accommodate?
14:17:55 Well, it's it's Right. That, that's, and then there's no benefits.
14:18:01 Yeah. So you have 11 that would kind of that would go to some paid sick leave and then a hundred 24 would go towards the increased hours.
14:18:09 And I think it's probably up to some paid sick leave and then a hundred 24 would go towards the increased hours.
14:18:12 And I think it's probably up from like I said, more like 30 to 40 that have been used in the past.
14:18:14 Even though I think a lot of times they just requested 16. For 20.
14:18:20 It always went over right that you said you did speak to that and what were the, what are, you know, what is Klein County?
14:18:27 What are some of our sister, pure counties do? Is this, which is the more normal arrangement?
14:18:32 I'm wondering kind of where where the motion is and not speaking forward against it.
14:18:35 Yeah. Oh, so Clown County generally has about 3 times the number of cases. That Jefferson County has like their population is about 3 times.
14:18:44 More than ours. They have 3 full time judges and a full time commissioner. So they have 4 full time judicial officers and their presiding judge gets to take less of a case load.
14:18:57 Because he's managing things like the budget and systematic issues in their in their core. So for me, we have one full time providing judge.
14:19:07 Who you know I'm hearing obviously I'm hearing all the jury trials all the civil trials all the family law trials and and working with Sophie on the budget and those kind of
issues and and and then we just have the 2 basically part time commissioners that I think would.
14:19:22 You know, generally add up to about a half time. Position. So that would be one if we had 1.5 judicial officers that would be about a third.
14:19:31 Of what
14:19:37 Make sense? This a lot like I said, it is less than, yeah, it's less than Judge Harper and I appreciate his philosophy.
14:19:37 Great. Thank you for that. Yep, really appreciate it.
14:19:46 He was very, and he would explain this to him. He was very kind of bare bones about it and and I appreciate that.
14:19:53 That idea and I'm not trying to spend money to spend money, but I'm also trying to address.
14:19:58 Just the systematic challenges that we find ourselves with in spirit work. And hopefully there will be benefits that will spread out beyond Superior Court.
14:20:08 Yeah. Thank you. We have to cut money out of the law library. We're gonna go, we're gonna go away from books and just do So that's going to save, save us some, some funds.
14:20:23 And I'm not seeing the, right now. But certainly looking for other opportunities. I know what the first office going file is.
14:20:31 Maybe we could be reducing some of our, some of the paper that we're using. You know, I don't know how much that would come out of.
14:20:39 Superior courts budget, but, I'm just interested in streamlining it a lot of what we do and working in partnership with the clerk's office.
14:20:54 Great.
14:20:48 As well as like I said with this report and other other. Great. Thank you for the explanation. It was really helpful.
14:20:59 Any else?
14:20:59 Great, Kate.
14:21:00 Yeah, and one more question, Brendan. And I know there's a couple different spreadsheets that talk about this, but could you generally, it's interesting for some reason this
year I'm really interested in the revenues just having not understood kind of the the revenues for some of the departments.
14:21:18 Would you mind just kind of talking in general terms you don't have to address every revenue line items but could you are there a few general buckets that those revenue sources
fall into like grants from the state or?
14:21:29 Others.
14:21:31 So we have one in. Judy can correct me if I'm wrong, but we have the.
14:21:36 The one revised revenue and that's just from the increased budget county wide, right? It's like the 79,000 is for it was 70,000.
14:21:48 It's given to superior court as like a little, that was our proportional count. So that's from Okay.
14:22:01 And then the trial court improvement is 4,500. Right, where does that come from? That comes from.
14:22:13 1 41, which is, the, the, So that's our, that's our, and that's our, And then we get that we have the civil, civil arbitration fee.
14:22:28 So if If there's a case that's going to arbitration in their paying, they're paying, they're paying for that.
14:22:36 We hardly have, I mean, our only very minimal. We have more out than we have in, that's for sure.
14:22:41 But those are those are only 3 revenue items. Am I right? Yeah. It's pretty small revenue.
14:22:48 Judy, you had a different spreadsheet up a minute ago with a few more revenue sources.
14:22:54 That's gonna be the law library.
14:22:53 Different. Okay.
14:22:58 You get down there. So that's a law library.
14:23:03 Okay.
14:23:12 Right.
14:23:06 Interesting they have. Well, more, buckets but Okay, thank you.
14:23:21 Great. Thanks so much, Judge Mack.
14:23:19 Thanks, Brandon. Alright, take care.
14:23:26 Alright, appreciate it. Still we have Court Camelton in the room with Laura Bailey. I guess, unless folks need a break.
14:23:36 I, since you guys are here, let's bring me on up and. Really appreciate your time.
14:23:43 Yep, sorry we couldn't be there in person with you all of us.
14:23:41 Good afternoon. No, now I see you. And I have, and Chief Deputy Laurie Bailey with me.
14:23:55 She's a ship shaped on those county gems that is done here over 30 years and It's a treasure.
14:24:01 So. Just as a way of a little background, the clerk's office can see all the court filings and fees for the period port.
14:24:09 We received documents over the counter through the mail and electronically. We entered them into the state document management system.
14:24:17 And distribute orders to entities that include Department of Corrections, departmental licensing, office child support, 9 1 one dispatch in our jail among others.
14:24:27 We work closely with many county offices, including the prosecutor, sheriff's office, district court, and of course period court.
14:24:35 As well as local attorneys and firms from all over the state and beyond. We issue summons, writs, warrants, letters, and judgments under the direction of the court.
14:24:46 We attend every court hearing and make an independent record of what transpired. Our modest ask is to increase.
14:24:56 Line of our dues to cover our proportionate cost of affiliate dues. Washington Association of County Clerks to our association is about to sign a 5 year contract with professional
services.
14:25:09 That have been retained to manage all of our affiliate trainings including venue and trainer contract negotiations.
14:25:17 Are your visual, equipment or website maintenance, monthly information forums, and educational, educational material distribution.
14:25:28 That was previously done by volunteer clerks and it was
14:25:34 We've had him, doing our contracts. This year and it's worth the money.
14:25:42 A lot of the small counties like myself, I can take on a role which I did this year as a new clerk.
14:25:50 Get on the eboard as the treasurer and without his support and the support of his company.
14:25:54 And help helping us with our education. I don't I don't know that I would have been able to do that.
14:26:02 I believe the auditors. The honors also use the services. We are set to pay a proportionate amount based on our population.
14:26:15 So some counties pay 800 up to King Kong which based 5,000 and our share is 1250.
14:26:18 And there was already $500 in that line item. So I'm just asking for kind of the balance to help cover that so.
14:26:26 $700 yeah so that so the I don't have to pull it from somewhere else because our $22,000 just then in the whole year and I think I'm already over budget on our operating costs
just due to jury questionnaires alone.
14:26:42 So that would be really helpful that we don't have to. and then And the other item is the budget narrative outlines support house still to your fund change.
14:26:57 It kept being over and I didn't know why because I didn't know. I wasn't paying anything out of it.
14:27:01 And then I realized it was established to back in 2,008 when there was an economic downturn.
14:27:09 Rather than lose the facilitator, they elected to pay a portion of her salary and benefits out of the facilitator fund.
14:27:15 And.
14:27:19 That continued, but the funds now been depleted. So. Rather than or Judy having chat.
14:27:28 Change the salary and benefits as they are changed that update this fund and it never quite matches and I don't seem to have any control over how it's balanced.
14:27:38 I'm asking to put the entire salary benefits of the facilitator back into the general fund and use that fund.
14:27:46 Which doesn't fully pay for the facility. It's a $20 user fee that gets paid by people who use for services and then $20 we get as a surcharge charge by legislature of a filing
fee for family law cases goes to that fund.
14:28:01 And that doesn't happen as the fee is waved. So we could use that money specifically for facilitator causes, which would be her, AOC, mandated training.
14:28:13 We have a software agreement with Forkel, which helps her help people. Determine their child support amounts, which is kind of like taxes if you've ever had to it.
14:28:27 So it's a very worthwhile benefit. And then of course. Paper and envelopes for the prostate packets that we put together for people who come in and want to do things on their.
14:28:40 And then just a little more I wanted to share that. This judge Mack talked we anticipated going in file list not paperless because we'll still receive papers over the counter
and.
14:28:52 Through the mail. We're not gonna maintain the hard copy files anymore. So for right as for right now, I give a 1,200 page loop up petition comes in electronically.
14:29:06 We're then printing that out and making Multiple files and we would like to stop that.
14:29:11 Judge Mac is very supportive of going technology only and so We were gonna do that with the
14:29:20 Local court rules going, being adopted in September, but we weren't able to. Resulting from issues both from the outlook outage which affected our electronic filing and we can
That's to keep track of what we're doing.
14:29:35 And I thought it's not a great time. To do that combined with inconsistent access to documents and demand through our new target date to go file is January first 2024 and we
would expect significant savings and papers, file, and label costs that we're able to proceed with that.
14:29:58 And the trees? I love using this paper. Yeah, and so. With less paper, a lot of what we do relies upon a robust technology system and support.
14:30:12 And on the horizon we expect to see. Our state records management system notice Odyssey, soon to be enterprise justice is to undergo an update at the end of this year.
14:30:21 And then a system upgrade next year. Laser fish is our document management system. We store all of our records in perpetuity, so they're not gonna go away.
14:30:32 Our job is to keep them forever. There is also a program the court uses to view the courts. Court documents.
14:30:40 So that's what Judge Mac would be accessing on the bench where we need to go quiet. We have 4Â TB of index image documents on a drive waiting for space on the server so we can
upload them to be part of the permanent record.
14:30:53 This was an expensive project that was funded last year and getting the documents uploaded as soon as practical will help safeguard this.
14:31:03 I know there's been talk about jobs on Monday. It's like mysterious jazz. Our role, jazz is the core audio visual system for which.
14:31:11 We pull store recording. So the way we interact with jobs is that when a member of the public wants to purchase an audio recording of a court hearing, we process that and charge
revenue for that.
14:31:27 For cases that go up on appeal, what's, what's the pealsman file?
14:31:33 We have a certain amount of time to pull those audio records and forward them to pull those audio records and board them to the transcriptionist assigned to the case.
14:31:38 For her to transcribe and send to the court of appeals. So that's.
14:31:44 That's an important system that we access. Then that means you're on time and time with fashion.
14:31:52 I understand that Spiritport is. Scheduled to be an upgrade. So I'm thinking I've heard from, district court that the improve quality.
14:32:06 May result the need for more electronic storage on that because it's just it's better quality but it takes more space.
14:32:12 And then finally the district court answers the jury, the legacy jury system and. We've been talking is there's a need to update a program that streamlines processes and gets
it up to date has online capabilities for filling up questionnaires, text reminders, there's all kinds of cool things out there that would the potential jurors have been asking for
and we're in I'm I think
14:32:36 it's on everyone's horizon to to move in that direction. So. There's a real need for our office to be assigned dedicated IT to navigate all the involved applications program
upgrades and integration.
14:32:50 Coordinate that exchanges with intergovernmental network and administrative office of the courts. Troubleshoot allages and program issues as well as plan for current growth
and future storage needs.
14:33:02 This person could be shared with the courts as we overlap a lot of the programs we use.
14:33:07 So. Really isn't in the budget but that's what I think about every day so I just wanted to share kind of where we're at with all of that.
14:33:16 And have any questions I can, Kate's interested in revenues, I wanted to say that I took something out of the revenue.
14:33:25 Because as I was reading it I read took it too literally and it said You see Blake reimbursement.
14:33:31 So I said, well, we're not getting anymore to that. So I took it out. But actually what it's supposed to be is that we receive a grant from the state through the legislature
that funds, when the clerks took over.
14:33:43 We all financial allocations billing for Department of Corrections. We just kind of did that.
14:33:50 And so they funded us for that job. It's good now, like we have to fight for it every year to keep it because they want to get rid of it, but I think it's good for it every
year to keep it because they want to get rid of it because they want to get rid of it but I think it's good for next year and probably the year after that.
14:34:03 So that's That's $1,700. I'm putting back in that covers the thing I want it just so anyway.
14:34:11 And then child support enforcement, that's, that's a grant that, can speak to that we get a reimbursed person a lot of work that she does.
14:34:18 And then a lot of the other things are filing fees and little pieces of filing these that fund different things kind of like what you saw.
14:34:30 Happy to answer any questions. Questions? Questions, guys?
14:34:33 Thank you so much, Amanda. And you know, we're starting with budget, but it's great to get a little deeper dive into how your how your department's functioning.
14:34:42 So really appreciate that and You know, appreciated the modest ask as well. It's always nice.
14:34:46 So.
14:34:46 Good to say I don't know where we're gonna find $7,147.
14:34:50 Yeah. Yeah, we're not making any decisions today, but that's that's a pretty it's a pretty reasonable last day but that's that's a pretty it's a pretty reasonable blast so appreciate
it's a pretty reasonable ask so appreciate it questions for Amanda
14:35:02 And I just. Kind of reflecting on what we've heard so far today is. Seems like there's a lot of commentary about.
14:35:10 Digital file storage. Be good at some point. To Dig into that as a subset of all these conversations.
14:35:19 Cause I'm not really sure where we're at with the plan to do offsite storage, at the sheriff's off, all that stuff.
14:35:27 So. I'm just putting a PIN in something. I'm hearing over and over again and it would be good to have an update on.
14:35:37 Yeah, great comment.
14:35:33 We're out digital file storage. Because it seems like. Seems like, Megabytes coming our way.
14:35:48 We're making more right now.
14:35:48 Sarah, I remember I remember when I heard about the person. I'm like, whoa. Anyway, yeah, terabytes.
14:35:59 Sorry, not megabytes. I remember when I heard about the person. I'm like, whoa.
14:36:07 Anyway, yeah, terabytes the person. I'm like, whoa. Anyway, yeah, terabytes. Sorry.
14:36:08 You're not megaby And that's why we're looking to move Veracuda to the cloud as well.
14:36:13 And so that's the trend and you'll see much more. We can certainly. Do we have a time?
14:36:21 I mean, what's happening? It's on an ongoing basis, but if you want to know, I mean, terabytes we have currently and now you come into your employee and I'm come into your employee
and what applications we're looking to migrate.
14:36:36 We have currently, and what applications we're looking to migrate, we can certainly, have a workshop with the board on that based on all we've been hearing and experiencing
for the last few months.
14:36:38 I agree.
14:36:41 Be a good. It's not out of control. I can show you, but certainly having a better understanding of all that.
14:36:49 Thanks, Mark.
14:36:53 Nice. Okay. Kate, no questions.
14:36:59 No, but it is interesting to start to see some similarities between what departments are telling us, which is that, you know, the, you know, whether it's fileless or paperless
or needing project management.
14:37:13 You know, all these. Kind of digitalized,itized solutions, but it doesn't actually mean fewer people doing work.
14:37:23 It's purely additional. So, I get it.
14:37:28 Yeah. Alright, well thanks Amanda. Thanks, Laurie.
14:37:29 Okay. Thank you. Thank you. It would be interesting to us that, how, how much closer it gets into our climate goals to like.
14:37:38 Does storing X number of terabytes, you know, in the cloud really. The tens of thousands of pages of paper we won't be storing you know the interesting to understand that a
little bit.
14:37:53 Still costs that, yeah. You, electrons to store that data and more and more cooling of the servers, all that.
14:38:02 Yeah. Interesting. Okay, do folks I see looks like we have
14:38:04 Or our auditors teams in the room. Yeah.
14:38:09 All right, well, let's just, this is our last one, right? Let's bring Brenda and look like Jessie up there.
14:38:19 Oh, gotcha. Okay.
14:38:13 Oh, we have. Central services was added. And they were originally scheduled. Earlier in the week.
14:38:27 Great. Okay.
14:38:23 And Well, we moved on. And we're ahead of schedule, so we're gonna. Okay.
14:38:33 Alright.
14:38:33 With that. Okay.
14:38:37 Welcome, auditor hunting forward. Sorry, I can't be there with you today, but.
14:38:41 Okay.
14:38:44 I'd love to see what you have in store for us.
14:38:50 Bye. For the auditor budget. You know, we do so many things in our office in the auditor's office. You know, we do so many things in our office in, in the auditor's office.
14:39:05 You know, 4 different, for divisions in our office. But for the auditors, we haven't, we didn't ask, we just stayed with the 1.5.
14:39:13 Just mainly ours is personnel. You know, we have neighboring stage and all of that, but it's maybe personnel and with the personnel.
14:39:27 Our licensing staff, we have 3 and 2 out of the 3 are new. Less than 7 months.
14:39:35 . One and less than 3 months for the other. So I just wanted to let you guys know what we do when we, because it does take a lot to train them.
14:39:49 And so by, you know, we in the Otters office have had a big loss with a lot of our personnel.
14:39:54 And so, with the licensing. Once, they get a sign on with the DL.
14:40:01 They have to go through security training and pass that. And once they do that, have them start working with the public, but when they are working with the public, they have
to have immediate supervision of a certified licensing representative.
14:40:17 That would be Jesse. So to become qualified to actually work on their own, they have to work a minimum of 3 months hands-on training.
14:40:27 They have to test the fraud prevention training and a hundred. Hutter question certification tests and they have to pass it with 80%.
14:40:35 So that's after 3 months and then they're still limited on their what transactions they can do.
14:40:42 Until they're certified and to become certified they have to. Working our office for another 1,800Â h.
14:40:50 And so it takes just about a year to get someone qualified to actually be able to perform all the transactions that we do in our office.
14:40:59 And we do a lot of transactions. As you can see with the revenue with licensing. We, we get binding fees for every transaction we do.
14:41:08 Plus part of our fees go to the state and they disperse this. Okay. They disperse.
14:41:18 This money to all 3 9 counties equally. So this year, our revenue is up because our transactions are up and then our finding these are rep also.
14:41:31 Her transaction equally or? Yeah, so we, I think it's, 25 cents per year for transaction.
14:41:45 Goes on at the state and then every quarter, all 39 counties get the. Equal amount which like last.
14:41:48 That's that. So we get more. So we get some of King County. Okay.
14:41:55 Yeah, I'm just making sure I'm tracking the right. That is not the right channels.
14:41:59 Like last quarter, we haven't got. Already just ended in September, but the last time we got $37,103.
14:42:07 Okay, got it. Thanks. So that's our licensing. And then we also have a recording in our office and of course that's where we record documents.
14:42:20 And of course that's where we record documents. We are 30% down currently because interest rates interest rates that you know people are financing so when interest rates are
really low we have a lot of refinance and that brings in a lot of money because we are here that there's 3 documents when you're refinancing.
14:42:38 There's an appointment a trustee usually before we can advance and then add the trust. When they're not refinancing, we're not getting that.
14:42:45 That in there. So. Our recording fees though currently are $203 and 50 cents for the first page January 20 January first 24, there's one at $100.
14:42:59 So we will be, our reporting these will be the highest in the nation. So that means most documents to record the first drink.
14:43:09 I'm gonna be $303 and 50 cents. This new fee is creating a covenant phone ownership account and I think that's gonna be a state account.
14:43:18 They haven't told us, right, and that is going for sure. At the state, our local, but I'm pretty sure it's state.
14:43:22 And this program is to address the history of housing discrimination due to racially restrictive real estate covenants in the state of Washington.
14:43:30 So when you say we're going up to the highest in the nation, you need Washington state as well.
14:43:34 Washington, Washington state, not Justin County. Yes. Yeah, these recording fees are very complicated.
14:43:45 Currently when, you bring a document and you can record it. It is split 17 different ways.
14:43:51 So counties say there's there's a lot of a lot of mostly stable. Mostly, we get $5.
14:44:00 In this department, we also, our main person does the passport acceptance. She's the passport acceptance agent.
14:44:07 We actually all have every one of us in our office or certified to do that at this point. We, we took the service on as a convenient way for citizens to have a local facility
because we're the only facility in Jefferson County that accepts them at this point.
14:44:25 We don't have a dedicated staff to do this, so we are by appointment only, so we made up the staff to do this so we are by equipment only so we made up a calendar and we accept
passports for first time.
14:44:33 Minors and when someone has lost their passport.
14:44:39 So actually be a passport acceptance agency that takes more training also. So employees interrupt us take a web-based training that takes about a day when we first started we
actually went to Seattle to the office in downtown Seattle and each of it.
14:44:56 But so we do training and then you take the test and you have to pass it at 80% and then each year they have refresher training that we all have to take.
14:45:05 So we all have to stay certified there.
14:45:10 We have our accounting team. With Judy helping with that. We have 6 employees 5 full time and one part time.
14:45:22 We lost 4 out of our team and, in a 2 month period, but we rehired and we're going to do.
14:45:31 Better and better. So our big accomplishments this year was going live with me in this payroll implementation better.
14:45:40 So, our big accomplishments this year was going live with me in this payroll implementation, accomplishment and then our 2022 annual report.
14:45:44 We just found out not buying you so. Very good. Yes, yes, thank you. We've also worked with the county team updating the travel policy and creating the new travel expense form.
14:46:05 We are working on just like, going. Paperless. We're working on a scan verify and cost policy for all our accounts.
14:46:14 Hopefully you'll That'll be going soon. Our county team is the hell of the county for accounts payable in payroll and we're in the process of rebuilding a strong team for all
these functions.
14:46:28 And then elections elections, and that. Okay, I guess so. We'll do elections last because.
14:46:40 We need to go over any of my ass or, you know, you're, you know, okay. We didn't know to write your ads if you want. Okay, I had that.
14:46:54 Just give me a second update. It's refreshing with everyone. Of course, this is my first budget season and I think I'm still doing okay with my budget.
14:47:05 . So Okay. Okay.
14:47:11 Very good. I'll get there. So it's elections. So, 2024 is gonna be a big election year.
14:47:22 We.
14:47:24 We anticipate.
14:47:28 Okay.
14:47:34 We anticipate we're going to have. 5.
14:47:42 . 5 Just about county wide elections plus a possible.
14:47:54 During the district election, which is, you do it by hand because it's, Very complicated.
14:48:04 Yes, 11 in February, in August, the general in November. March. Presidential primary. Okay.
14:48:21 And then the local parameter. I guess. November. February is a special lesson as well as April.
14:48:24 We were thought we were going to have maybe a special lesson as well as April. We were thought we were going to have.
14:48:25 February is a special lesson as well as April. We were thought we were going to have maybe a 95 February.
14:48:27 We think maybe not Kenny Wight in February, but probably county white in April now, but we do have some school districts that have contacted us that will probably be running.
14:48:32 Some capital levies or something in. So they're gonna have a lot of elections and they're going to maybe overlap.
14:48:41 That's, we'll overlap. So we'll have one election not even certified before we have to have the program in balance prepared for the next election.
14:48:53 So we do have one election. Yeah, one election position not fight billed yet. We are renewing next week.
14:49:02 So, so we would like them on board for the November lecture so they can get the peek left for that for the next year.
14:49:13 When has really been working on updating policy and procedures and canvassing board manuals.
14:49:18 We were told we're gonna get reviewed this next year by the Secretary's office. So we're gonna have all of that up and ready.
14:49:28 You know, with elections though, the one thing is we do direct billing for direct cost for billings for all election costs for that specific election and then we do an indirect
cost at the end of the year.
14:49:44 Oh, districts that participated in, so a lot of those. Will be actually built out also.
14:49:55 Elections, we have to become certified election administrators also. And to do that, you have to attend a 2 day orientation class elections 101.
14:50:05 We have the past the administrator certification exam. This is an open book. Test and it's, you know, RCWs, state constitution.
14:50:19 You have to research all those places in order to take that test. You have to acquire these 40Â h of additional education.
14:50:25 And you must work 2 years of continuous. Service in the elections office to make them certified. So Sandy and Glenn and I are all certified.
14:50:36 And. You have to have at least 2 certified equipment. We do that and continue to train.
14:50:46 So our budget, we have some travel. Again, I don't think we've gone over this year yet.
14:50:53 That was afraid of that because we find it very Well, when is actually on the.
14:51:02 On some election, statewide election. Yeah, but while advisory board so she goes to those different meetings they do a lot of advisory board so she goes to those different meetings
they do a lot of zoom but they actually need in person this is very valuable Judy, can you scroll the second page that might answer on my question?
14:51:27 Thanks.
14:51:30 So I think. Let's see. I think new in 2024 is the. Purchase, the, the election tabulation equipment.
14:51:44 And that is new this year to 2024. For the 10 year depreciation so that we'll be paying.
14:51:53 Okay.
14:52:00 So can you go back up to the first page? The revenues. Revenues for a day that.
14:52:09 Indirect. And direct election pass are built to participate in jurisdictions.
14:52:18 So not all the costs are covered because. Okay, because the county is the jurisdiction that we don't.
14:52:26 We build ourselves, but And then for state and federal offices, do we bill? The state. And so, new requirements are inflicted on us by the legislature where you need additional
training and certifications.
14:52:47 I mean, that sounds like another unfunded mandate. They don't help us cover the cost of those.
14:52:52 Maybe not. Ashley, when the is on that. The, Advisory Board.
14:53:09 Okay.
14:53:12 So of course, if the expense of the election doesn't happen, we wouldn't have the experience either.
14:53:18 But I'm pretty sure you have one. Henry, I'm gonna ask. Silly question.
14:53:26 I mean, why do we have 6? Why can't they consolidate there? Yeah. February, March, maybe April.
14:53:35 Probably definitely. Yeah, the jurisdictions can choose they can, run on in general if they wanted.
14:53:49 I mean, the, the, the school district, but they manage the, And I don't know, Jack could probably tell you more of the assessor, but you know, you're when Olivia is up and they
run in February, they don't pass.
14:54:01 And they run in February, they don't pass. So that is up and they run in February.
14:54:04 If they don't pass, they're going to get in April. That's not some of the timing is tactical. Yeah.
14:54:18 You know, you want to get in before all the others to Just like the port level, drainage disc, correct me if I'm wrong, but they will pay if they're on election by themselves,
they're going to have the full, yeah, yeah, yeah, if they, like when you said pool election.
14:54:30 . You know, When what a single election, the cost for PFD or . Yeah That is Zoom.
14:54:54 And like the drainage district is tied to terms as well. It's not that they can just choose when they have their election, I think.
14:55:01 Yes, that's true. But it's just putting out the cost, they'll have to pay the cost.
14:55:11 That election, they're holding on.
14:55:08 Yeah. No, they are very aware. Not looking forward to it. I think everyone is.
14:55:13 Unfortunately, right?
14:55:17 Can I ask one question? Why, the, I understand the need for the additional valid dropbox, but why in the basement when it's not accessible, 24Â h to the public when I just put
it next to the other one outside.
14:55:32 And actually the ones that outside are sufficient. So we have been asked that because, We've been working with actually security and.
14:55:43 Regarding elections. Courthouse security, which in and the sheriff's office and They're seeing that people want to come in and drop their they're valid in inside the facility.
14:55:57 Hmm.
14:55:56 And so to do that, they have to go through security and they come up to our office. And I know during COVID when we arrived, not only we had one down there.
14:56:06 And security is kind of asked us for that so then they don't have any scanned. And, and, they're dropping it inside.
14:56:15 So,
14:56:15 Oh, so you can put it before security to allow people to just come in and drop it off.
14:56:20 Yes. Yeah.
14:56:22 Gotcha. Okay.
14:56:25 Great, thank you.
14:56:25 Interesting.
14:56:31 Yeah, so this this put the net increase in elections you think it's gonna be like 56 right most of these costs are gonna be borne by the whoever's running the election.
14:56:41 Yes, yes. The printing, the local voters, which is a new mandate. Recently, I'll see to.
14:57:00 Great.
14:57:03 And, does that. You've taken us through everything. Wait, so that was the only change really. Is that right?
14:57:10 Did I miss something?
14:57:11 That was it. And, and then I have, auditors. I have like 4 budgets here.
14:57:20 If we don't have elections.
14:57:24 Hold on, I'll get there.
14:57:31 So I'm really an audit zone and we are just carrying some stuff forward. We are still working on the project to.
14:57:40 Actually, we, a time company paid to have some of, they wanted some of our images and we didn't have them.
14:57:48 We had them on microphones. So they actually paid to have some of our images and we didn't have them. We had them on microphones.
14:57:52 So they actually paid to have some of our images digitized. And we now are. Coping to increase our server capacity also.
14:58:03 To get 4Â TB of images and indexing. On our web. So that is what our ask is here is mainly.
14:58:14 Working with a third party that's going to. Clean up the images and then index them.
14:58:23 And make them. Compatible with our current recording system so that they're able to be in our system and this would allow of course accessibility to be in our system.
14:58:37 And this would allow, of course, accessibility to all of our documents would then be out on the web.
14:58:38 Companies like today. I type of company in and we don't see that anymore because our reporting, we, record either in and you can bring it in by mail or electronic and all of
our local 10 companies actually choose to join electronically also.
14:59:00 So instead of coming to the house twice a day like they used to. Except today because there was some images that they needed.
14:59:06 From some older documents that weren't out on the web. So this would increase everybody's accessibility to our documents.
14:59:14 So is that the on this page? Is that the microfilm special project? Or I mean, I'm trying to correlate to what you're talking about.
14:59:21 Okay.
14:59:26 So that's been on the budget for a couple of years now for the micro demonstration project. That's been on the budget for a couple of years now for the.
14:59:36 That was already awarded to do a transfer from the general fund for that 2 years ago. Good. 22 and 23.
14:59:45 And so.
14:59:50 You're hoping to complete that project in 2024. Right. And you're right now waiting for.
14:59:58 From IT and equipment and Space, is that correct? Yeah, server and also.
15:00:20 Great. Yep.
15:00:20 Good. And then my last. Yeah, question.
15:00:27 No, no, go ahead, please.
15:00:29 So then my last budget, which is a grant and it's election security grant. And again, Quinn and I have met with Port Health Security Facilities, share staff regarding election
night security and also with IT and facilities regarding cameras and locations where they currently don't have.
15:00:58 With IT and facilities regarding cameras in locations where they currently don't have. So this this security grant is I think has to be.
15:01:07 Spent this year. So we're hoping with the help of IT facilities and security, we use the money.
15:01:16 Yeah, No, this is this year. Oh, yes. Oh, sorry. Yeah, sorry. So I thought we were talking 2024.
15:01:32 Yeah.
15:01:34 So yeah. So based on what you said your the People will be all come in the court house again on election night.
15:01:41 Is that what I just heard? People are yeah, security has to be here through 80'clock on election night.
15:01:46 But in the past to get paid to get replacement balance or registered those. But not the part of the election party.
15:01:59 Yeah.
15:01:59 Ready? Yeah. Is Brenda gonna come out and read the results? That was really, I mean, I missed that, I have to say.
15:02:02 I know the reason why we don't anymore is because someone can read we have same day voter registration where before we had like an 8 day cut off so people can come up.
15:02:13 At 80'clock register to vote get a ballot and we could have people potentially bullying. During that time so you don't wanna like announce results.
15:02:24 Oh, I see. Okay.
15:02:24 Yes.
15:02:29 How about the next morning?
15:02:31 Okay. We'll do it then.
15:02:34 I still want to see the auditor come out with the election result. That's very, it's a tangible.
15:02:40 I'm gonna wait.
15:02:46 That's true.
15:02:39 In the morning. But everybody isn't already seen them on the internet. Yeah. Yeah.
15:02:52 But I did wanna say our office is working on building strong relationships, internal and external. Connecting with other counties attending conferences, training, sharing ideas,
and developing best practices and policies.
15:03:01 So we're working hard at that. And and we are team players so we're . You know, we're team players
15:03:15 Excellent. That's the end of your presentation, Brenda.
15:03:20 I don't have to do the
15:03:20 All right, any other questions? Again, very reasonable. I think maybe even mandated requests that you're making.
15:03:28 So. Appreciate it. Any questions or comments?
15:03:36 Okay.
15:03:35 I'm always good at asking questions and commenting along the way so I don't have any.
15:03:44 Yeah.
15:03:42 Appreciate all of you guys this complicated work. You move a lot of moving parts. Thank you.
15:03:47 Totally. And so you're really cross training across the different your 4 different internal departments all the time, aren't you?
15:03:54 We are and you know at 1 point we did have a lot of stuff frustrating but at this point because we are totally new.
15:04:02 Jesse just doesn't get to take vacation, a party break or anything. But yeah, yeah.
15:04:09 Hello.
15:04:13 Alright, well thanks for all that you guys.
15:04:13 I think the more you know. Yeah, the more you know in our office that you know it even helps because you can help control the line or help with phone calls rather than, you
know, having someone call back.
15:04:24 So, so we're always listening. We like to open office comes that so everybody knows what's going on and can help each other.
15:04:33 Well, it feels very open when I walk into it, so I appreciate all the all your work.
15:04:37 Thank you. Okay. Thank you.
15:04:41 Alright, thank you, Brenda. Thank you, Jesse. Thanks for all your work and we have central services.
15:04:49 Maybe should we take just a 5Â min recess and come back at 3 12. See again?
15:04:53 Where are they? Okay. We have 2 of them online and then about let them know they might come in person.
15:11:52 No sharing.
15:12:01 All right, we have Kate back with us.
15:12:07 Hello? All right, I'll call us back into session and great to have the central services. Do we have Rene in the room?
15:12:15 Just be me and Sarah presenting today.
15:12:18 Okay, great.
15:12:19 Can you hear Matt okay?
15:12:22 I, I, I can hear Matt, yep. Yeah, take it away, man.
15:12:25 Okay, very good. Okay, this is our 2425, central services budget presentation.
15:12:32 This covers not just the facilities. So cover IT, and the records management as well. Rolling through the slides and all kind of just Sure, snapping level, pleats budgets basically
broken down.
15:12:53 For me during this next process will be budgeting for another full-time employee, which is what I hired on for this year, so another FDE for next year.
15:13:02 That's where the major increase in the FTEs for me came from was just the new full-time employees.
15:13:12 Same thing for, in,ation services last year. They got a whole lot of, Okay, and we added Scott Carpenter.
15:13:23 Yeah, and there's been some discussion. It's not part of the budget submission, but we need to begin a conversation about adding another person to the IT shop.
15:13:34 To free up our network administrator, get worked on rather than answering any queries and so on, more of a a help desk person and much like.
15:13:49 We're firing a permit coordinator, for DCD, to free up staff to actually process building permits and so on.
15:13:58 So. We'll probably do that during the. And, for you and modification, but just wanna put that out there.
15:14:09 And then what's construction and renovation? Instruction renovation will be the major capital projects that I manage.
15:14:16 So a lot of that what you see that point 3 9 or. Okay. Based on just project management planning and what here.
15:14:24 Okay. Okay, and Greg Renee, Pally just joined us.
15:14:31 Sorry, I'm still eating my carrot. Try not to be too noisy. Okay, any questions?
15:14:32 Great.
15:14:41 You're gonna take charge or any questions about staffing beyond questions that have already been asked?
15:14:49 Are these increases from last year? Sorry. The only real FTE increase that you believe is facilities that is an increase in this year onto next year and that's the one our sleep
last year.
15:15:10 Was that point 5 and 23 and will be. No, it's a full time position. That's funded half by, general fund and half.
15:15:21 By, general fund and half. Pl, the public health planning sources. I got it.
15:15:25 Okay.
15:15:34 Alright, the commissioners, most of the budget and, the, you are in our fund is to find, acquisition of equipment and to buy commodities for public work.
15:15:47 Okay. Sorry. Oh, that's okay. You're doing great.
15:15:57 And so there's one item detail.
15:16:04 Oh, That's better. It wasn't like before that. Yeah.
15:16:17 There we go. So these are the, the budgets for 24 and 25 that are broken down by a major category of expense.
15:16:28 What is not reflected here is, the results of the collective bargaining agreement. Teams, there's, currently under way.
15:16:39 And so, once that agreement is ratified by the bargaining unit and approved by the board. And we'll have to probably do a supplemental in first quarter to account for where
the increases are.
15:17:01 And can I ask a question on this?
15:16:53 And adopted. But most of the other budget items are pretty solid. Unless they're here. Okay.
15:17:05 Sorry, the capital outlay is that's for vehicles that are then rented out to whatever departments using them.
15:17:12 Public works as you say often.
15:17:12 Yeah, that's shares vehicles, public works, public health, DCD, and then all the equipment.
15:17:19 Used by teleports you know they're dumb trunks their excavators, And so capital at least can vary greatly from year to year based on the replacement schedule.
15:17:34 And so you see there, you know, half a million. Reduction in 2025 compared to 2024.
15:17:42 Good. I know that there's been a desire to move towards electric vehicles. Are we making any progress on that front?
15:17:49 Sorry, didn't a little bit, but I will remind the board that we lost our fleet manager.
15:17:57 Then I lost our department director and then lost the mechanic and so not as much mechanics needed with electric vehicles.
15:18:05 No, but it's just indicative of the relative crisis mode that we're in currently in the fleet world.
15:18:12 And I'm not asking, I'm not saying immediately. I'm just saying generally, are we moving in that direction?
15:18:18 Okay.
15:18:22 And some of the cattle outlays for buildings too.
15:18:28 Excellent. Lou has a new or the shop the headlock top has a new group out where it's requesting a new group on the actual main body of the shop. And that's a large portion of
that. That's great.
15:18:40 Yeah, that's a great reminder. I know that New Johnson replaced the heating system out there.
15:18:44 We used to burn waste as well.
15:18:55 Okay, free to move on.
15:19:00 This is . Yeah
15:19:09 Okay, so, Yeah. In the Yeah, Yeah. Okay, salaries and benefits and supplies and other services and charges for the facilities.
15:19:34 You know, they pay all the utilities and service elevators and inspect fire extinguishers and we buy replacement parts for leaking toilets.
15:19:44 Replace the battery even then. That today. Cool.
15:19:57 I'm sorry. Our toilets have batteries? Is that what I just learned?
15:20:01 Oh, yes. Yes. All your infrared actuated toilets. The touchless toilets, our battery offering.
15:20:08 Okay, I guess that makes sense. Didn't.
15:20:09 You notice how they That's because the center.
15:20:13 Well, I know you thought of the, yeah, yeah, I guess so. Yeah, okay. Makes sense.
15:20:16 And, and yeah, I think you would put together. Okay. I found out today because I recorded one wasn't working.
15:20:26 That's no good. What should be doing in here? Leave and then make an anonymous phone call.
15:20:36 But moving on.
15:20:43 Okay, other services and charges. What's That. In particular, I know utilities. Yeah, it's repairing maintenance, Oh, Okay.
15:21:02 Yeah, your vehicle rent. You're in there.
15:21:10 You know, all of these departments are funded by other departments in the county and so they strive really hard to keep their costs down.
15:21:20 And they can provide the services required to keep the county running at the most cost-effective level possible.
15:21:27 So there's no extravagance in these, these divisions. Info services.
15:21:40 Okay. Okay, salaries and benefits. When you see capital that way,
15:21:53 I don't know what the specific capital outlets are in this one. It's all the computer. Yeah.
15:22:05 So Todd has a replacement schedule for laptops and desktop. I think this includes servers and storage and all the IT equipment necessary to keep the calendar.
15:22:18 Office where we building. If any cost incurred to do that would be included. And That's kind of split between 2 funds because getting the space ready as construction renovation.
15:22:34 And then the equipment. Would be in here. And so we're.
15:22:42 Looking into maybe hiring a contractor to help. With that transition. Just gonna enhance the probability of. You know, problems where you shift.
15:22:54 And so the timing on that.
15:23:01 Our services and charges like software licenses, laser fees or office suite or anything or those. What are the
15:23:08 That's it is primarily maintenance, annual maintenance for all of the for laser phase for Yeah, for all the software that we that we operate.
15:23:24 Okay.
15:23:29 We've been hearing a lot today about. The need for digital file storage from all like most of the other departments.
15:23:39 So that's probably I'm just curious about this part. Right, I mentioned that we. Started talking about migrating.
15:23:49 File as well. And And that'll accomplish 2 things that will enhance communication between. Our email server, so it doesn't have to come through.
15:24:02 And it will free up.
15:24:09 Okay, I'm gonna let Matt talk about this one. So construction renovation is any major renovation, new construction or even a major maintenance repair on existing buildings.
15:24:37 Salaries and benefits, it's a lot of it's project management. A lot of the cost is contractor based outsourced.
15:24:44 So a lot of what you see is really just the management costs. One of the costs that you see are just that they are just my hours in the planning and the.
15:24:58 One of the costs that you see are just that they are just my hours in the planning and the management of projects.
15:25:00 2024.
15:25:05 Incorporates a number of different things. Across the board, one of the larger ones is the, for, towns and community center.
15:25:15 Is that? Yes. Or times community center, Jim Rove, the architectural engineering phase, basically looking at what our feasible options are to move forward with that.
15:25:24 And then same thing in 2025 predicting that. We have a good plan coming out of the any process.
15:25:32 We'll move forward in the construction phase, which is the larger the large portion of the 2,025 capital outlet.
15:25:38 Yeah.
15:25:39 I'm sorry, do you think A and E is gonna be? Almost 2 million dollars for that is that what I'm seeing or are there projects there?
15:25:45 So, you know, and is incorporated into that 1.9 7 8 million dollars. It is a small portion of it in 2024.
15:25:56 It's just a chunk of that. No I intend on the any of the port towns community center gym being under a hundred What else is it?
15:26:03 Okay, thanks.
15:26:05 2024 just out of curiosity. So if we scroll down, that's okay.
15:26:14 Elevator.
15:26:18 Elevator modernization is basically just the elevator coming of age. Parts are unavailable.
15:26:25 It's really as excitatory as it sounds. It's modernizing all of the actual components, the sensors, the switches, the buttons, the actual control.
15:26:32 The controller that sits in the attic, everything would be modernized up to the newsstand. Basically because we're having problems finding parks at this point.
15:26:40 That makes sense. I used to manage that elevator at the Maritime Center. So. I understand.
15:26:50 Yeah, Greg, there's your commercial kitchen.
15:26:59 I will say if we want to have the electric vehicle conversation with Fleet, we need to be looking at chargers, adding charges to this list too.
15:27:10 No, I'm testing that right now.
15:27:09 That would be, yeah, I'd be in. That's where that cost would be.
15:27:17 Okay, thank you. Thanks. Thank you.
15:27:24 Okay.
15:27:24 I assume the record storage building, is the critter. I mean, do we think that that's still gonna be we still looking at like an early 24 horizon for that or How, how is that
project going?
15:27:34 Yeah, the new rental for the records building. Yeah, we're targeting early 2024 for all of that.
15:27:43 Oh, but that's not critter.
15:27:41 So. Yeah, yeah, they've identified. No, Twitter is the actual, so that's the acronym that, that we gain for the, server room out there at the sheriff's office.
15:27:54 Gotcha. Yeah.
15:27:55 Yes, critical infrastructure or something or something. So, and yeah, the facilities shop and the reference storage building.
15:28:04 Correct me if I'm wrong, Matt, but that is that the So, Yes, yeah. So, staff found a really nice building.
15:28:15 Adam Glencove, to me a couple of long-term needs for facilities and for records.
15:28:21 Facilities needs a shop and the storage facility for records is inadequate. The space between the the rats where you store the boxes of records are too narrow and so from a
.
15:28:39 It's an unsatisfactory facility And so the building located out in, in Clean Cove, the owner of the building is going to reconfigure that building to meet our record storage
needs and.
15:28:52 Provide a shop for our facilities crew and when that facility is ready to be occupied. How many storage in us?
15:29:02 Between records and facilities, facilities as a plan on getting rid of all of their right. Yeah. And so I think we're spending, close to 20,000 a year.
15:29:19 Wow.
15:29:17 Renting storage facilities and when this new facility is Ready for occupancy and of course we have to come to the board now.
15:29:25 Within a gender request and lease document justifying the move, but it makes sense from up from a lot of angles.
15:29:34 And so that's what those 2 budget items are. And, in the next couple of weeks, I will be coming to the board, with an agenda request to lay out the plan and to seek your approval
to concentrate at least.
15:29:49 Can I ask a question? This is how we've been all day, you know, we get these budget documents and we talk about actual projects, but I'm just curious with the with the animal
shelter Have we considered just least seen in that building, you know, for a dollar like we do some of the other facilities so we don't have to own the upgrading costs.
15:30:14 Yeah, that's another project that I was working on with Chris Goy. I'm not sure in the board knows what the executive director of the, society, resigned.
15:30:29 And so they currently don't have a director of the human society resigned and so they currently don't have a director and so I'm working with member on the board.
15:30:32 To try to advance the conversation on this. Yeah, they also. The, we gave them for the truck to hold their, surgical trailer.
15:30:46 They want a modification to that. And so, so that relationship is sort of up in the air. I'm trying to nail, you know, down a good relationship with the board until they bring
on a new director, but.
15:30:59 But we'll be coming to the board with the proposal to, reduce the financial burden.
15:31:08 And because other counties heavily subsidized their unique society because other counties heavily subsidize their unique society and their animal shelter and we do not.
15:31:12 We actually. It's a one way financial relationship where they pay us. And so we're looking to achieve.
15:31:23 If you want a commissioner, if you want me to be with you on those conversations with them, I'd be happy to.
15:31:30 You know I'm a pet lover. So many other items on this list of interest.
15:31:37 It's an ambitious list and you know, 100% of this won't likely occur in the year that we hope to add it occur.
15:31:45 Because you know that's kind of 4 person shop. But these are needs and you know, we're, attacking as we can.
15:31:55 Looks good.
15:31:58 Okay. Okay.
15:32:04 This morning. Okay. Is there like the next slide? No.
15:32:12 There's the rest of it. Perfect.
15:32:24 Okay.
15:32:34 So what'll happen during the. We'll take a look at projects that were scheduled in 2024.
15:32:42 Those that were not completed will roll back in time. And some plan for 2025 might get pushed to 2026 or beyond.
15:32:56 Okay.
15:33:01 Okay. Yeah, we do.
15:33:10 Okay.
15:33:19 So construction and renovation is funded out of the capital. And so you see a large transfer from capital to construction and.
15:33:34 And then.
15:33:39 Thanks for the.
15:33:43 These work,
15:33:50 This year. Is this John? Yeah. Okay.
15:34:00 So that's part of what was approved for jump that was unexpected. That was another request. I think there was a basketball court resurfacing or something like that too.
15:34:12 That Okay. Now one thing to consider, is before Chris left. made me aware of some changes to read and what it can be spent on, how it can be spent.
15:34:29 And, so I need to, I need to find the sheet that he provided me.
15:34:35 I can't seem to find this copy that he left with me. But it limits. What you can spend read on and it also opens for.
15:34:43 For you on affordable housing projects and so So once I refresh my memory on the rule changes, I'm gonna schedule a work session with the board.
15:34:55 To run all those changes by the board just so you understand what's eligible for we under the new rules and when the new rules take effect.
15:35:04 And so I need to do that in the next 2 weeks.
15:35:17 And just a note on that, there is a committee that was formed to look at. Capital projects and looking at the funding source, which is the rate.
15:35:28 And what can be spent on.
15:35:32 I have I have a document that Stacy suggested I get from Renee, which I did, which I'll forward to you market might be what you're talking about.
15:35:41 Re related.
15:35:45 Yeah. The document I'm talking about is like calendar and then frozen columns in it. Very nicely organized. Yeah.
15:35:57 I think that's what I just saying.
15:35:57 Are we gonna hold off on? Capital asset planning until we have a new central services director.
15:36:06 Well, the committee, I think, Matt. Did they support the projects? The committee did me and the projects that are on the plan is what they agree to.
15:36:18 What we have put together is what they had a great to go forward with.
15:36:27 So it sounds like there's a plan.
15:36:33 Yeah, and, work session was going to be scheduled. And I think we need to proceed with that, but I need to have that committee assembled.
15:36:45 So I can. There's some new progress today. And just get off the. And then, Make a presentation for them sharing their recommendations and the scoring criteria and all of that.
15:37:09 Okay.
15:37:24 Alright, so regarding revenues, I think I mentioned earlier in this presentation that all of the divisions and central services are funded by.
15:37:36 By user departments through cost allocation plans. For through rental mechanisms. And so.
15:37:47 Every dollar they earned is an expense. Another department or a series of departments. And so,
15:37:57 They charge what they need to charge in order to meet the mission.
15:38:12 Okay. Alright, commissioners. That includes the presentation on the central services. Sarah, anything?
15:38:28 Not really quiet.
15:38:35 Okay.
15:38:36 I guess my one, could we just see the, I haven't really looked through it yet, but what's the difference?
15:38:43 Where, where are the, are there any specific? Asks, I mean, we've seen a kind of what it is.
15:38:51 But what are the other specific asks? One time or ongoing asks for the budget this year.
15:38:57 We've been, we should been showing comparisons from other previous departments, I think is what you're referring to, right, Greg.
15:39:07 Right, yeah, yeah.
15:39:04 But they're general. I'll submit add requests. Okay.
15:39:11 Okay. Right, right. Okay.
15:39:16 Yep, gotcha. Lots of good work, really appreciate everyone. I know there's challenges right now.
15:39:24 We definitely need a central services director to help you guys. Coordinate as well, but a lot of good stuff going on.
15:39:30 So thank you. Other questions or comments?
15:39:39 Cool. All right. Yeah.
15:39:37 Okay.
15:39:47 Yes. Yeah, good to know. Thank you. Matt. Thank you, Sarah.
15:39:54 Thank you, Renee.
15:39:49 Alright, thank you. Thanks. Appreciate you all.
15:39:58 So, commissioners, I think that concludes the presentation for today. We have another, series of presentations tomorrow for, County administrator, commissioner departments.
15:40:13 Starts at 9. So one thing I would say. Is if you And I owe the board a projection on this and this will be part of.
15:40:29 The process going forward, but we have a million and ongoing budget requests from general fund departments. Over last year.
15:40:41 Correct. Additions to base budget and I can I can tell you without even doing a projection. That's not affordable.
15:40:51 And so we, the board, is gonna have some tough decisions and Judy and I are gonna have some tougher recommendations to make.
15:40:59 Some of the requests are tiny and can be, can be approved easily, but. Some of the larger ones.
15:41:08 We'll simply have to work with the departments making those requests and see if we can.
15:41:19 Because the compensation changes that the board approved. For this year, we're relatively minor. The bulk of the compensation improvement occurs next year.
15:41:31 With the elimination of the bottom 3 steps and change of steps from 2 and a half. Percent to 3.
15:41:40 That's gonna take a significant bite of, out of our ability to fund some of these other requests.
15:41:48 And it's unfortunate, but in order to. Maintain a coherent workforce. We needed to improve compensation.
15:41:58 And Kate, I remember you saying that you've been looking for a bargaining your agreements like this for 7 years and you know we finally we're able to do something serious for
our employees.
15:42:12 We're gonna have to compromise elsewhere.
15:42:18 Yep, no. Thank you for that, Mark.
15:42:24 Okay.
15:42:21 Well, we take that up at the end of tomorrow or do we have? So I need to begin working on a recommended budget.
15:42:33 And what I what I would prefer not to do, given the challenges that we have here is to make a formal presentation to the board.
15:42:42 I would rather workshop. Once or twice beforehand. Yeah, so that I don't present a recommended budget that's a non I think hopefully that makes sense to you.
15:42:55 That we inch towards the budget that we think we can support. Yeah. And so Judy and I will, huddle on that.
15:43:06 Come back to the board with a suggested schedule. Sounds good. Just wanna know what the plan is.
15:43:12 Yeah, you can. Kate, did you have something to add?
15:43:15 Yeah, just a question. In the preliminary budget document, the big fat one. Is there a place where all of the ads are listed in one document.
15:43:29 Yes, I think it's on page 8. Hey, well, yeah, it's resolution and adds.
15:43:37 So in the table of contents is the third item down. So if you click on that, you have to go past the resolution.
15:43:52 Thank you.
15:43:44 I'm not sharing, sorry. Past the resolution and then there's a summary. Okay.
15:43:56 Actually, it's page 50. Page 51 in section 3.
15:44:06 IT is. Oh, that's because, okay, I'm sorry. In the table of contents, which each item in the table is a link.
15:44:22 To the document covered. And so it's not page 3. It's like, yeah, it's chapter 3.
15:44:29 And so if you click on the line. Resolution that adds it will jump you to page 50.
15:44:38 If you want to get back to the table contents just so you know, you're going back and forth.
15:44:45 If you do control shift and the up arrow, that'll get you back to the very beginning of the document and then you can go down one page and get to the table.
15:44:57 Okay.
15:44:56 And then for, capital, we would look at the central services. Are there other, other capital items that would not be included in the central services section.
15:45:08 Well, if solid waste has any capital that would be in their own budget, the road department has road projects.
15:45:16 It would be in their own budget.
15:45:19 Parks and Mac.
15:45:21 Right. Yeah, well, parks improvement.
15:45:25 Yeah.
15:45:27 So on those tables that are the 2024 25 biennial budget targets for the general fund, which are in tab 3 after the resolution.
15:45:40 After the resolutions, multiple.
15:45:46 The 3 columns for 24 and 25, the leftmost is salaries and benefits, but. It doesn't show us.
15:45:57 Where we were at in 23.
15:46:01 For salaries and benefits. That's gonna be in the, well, it does. I see what you're saying.
15:46:11 So. I guess. Just trying to understand the total increase in the budget.
15:46:20 Over 23 for 24. So the reason the salaries and benefits are highlighted, in a separate column is because there wasn't a one and a half percent add add to that.
15:46:34 All the other expenditures receive the one and a half percent add So.
15:46:41 So we focus on other expenditures here so the other 111,000 like say for one and a half percent of over that is the 113.
15:46:55 So if you want to look at, and benefits, you'd almost have to go to the budget itself for like each department and see their increases.
15:47:04 But I just wonder if there's a summary of. So we can see that the overall budget change.
15:47:10 I can definitely put something together for you for that. Yeah, that's not normally something together for you for that. Yeah, that's not normally something that's provided
in the past.
15:47:19 So we don't ever look at what the total budget was this year and then compare it to the.
15:47:23 Years we're trying to budget for. We wouldn't have recommended but we have it in the preliminary.
15:47:31 Okay, but let me let me look at something. Okay. Not trying to make a whole bunch more work.
15:47:38 No, no, it's okay. I understand. So.
15:47:45 Because So here. So that's just.
15:47:57 Is that in the book? That's, yeah. So that's in. Chapter one.
15:48:03 Okay.
15:48:04 Oh yeah, okay. So that's just the, Okay, that helps. That's fine.
15:48:13 I didn't know that was there. Thank you. That's what I was looking for. I just was looking at the another tab.
15:48:20 Thanks. So what we had provided
15:48:22 Yeah, I think we should probably. Sorry. We're kind of past our agenda at this point, so we haven't talked about, I mean, we're Go ahead, Kate, if you have got a question, but
I think we should probably take this up on Monday or.
15:48:43 Too late for tomorrow.
15:48:40 I don't know, can we add it to our agenda tomorrow? I don't think we have this on there tomorrow.
15:48:47 Yeah, okay. Alright, alright. Okay, go ahead.
15:48:51 Okay.
15:48:44 We're discussing budget. It's not like we're off. So if I go back to the questions I had about capital, I had about capital.
15:48:59 I did find all of the requests for capital expenditures, had about capital. I did find all of the requests for capital expenditures. Thank you. I'm sorry.
15:49:04 I did find all of the requests for capital expenditures. Thank you. I'm sorry.
15:49:05 You know, find a little tricky navigating this big book. But, is, is all, all of those requests rolled up into one list anywhere.
15:49:14 I'm just thinking, you know, if we're gonna have some hard decisions to make on.
15:49:18 You know, having to choose. What we can fund and what we can't.
15:49:24 It's, really helpful to have it all in one document. Instead of flipping 20 or 30.
15:49:26 Yeah, absolutely. Normally we do have it and I did not catch the fact we didn't have a summary there for that so I would say probably, that is something that's pretty easily
put together and we can actually add it to this document if somebody has an objection to that.
15:49:51 But we can definitely add it. It should have been right in here with this. Chapter.
15:49:58 Okay, great. Thank you. And I'm sorry to create more work, but.
15:50:02 Oh, it should probably been in there. That's not a problem.
15:50:06 Thank you.
15:50:15 Okay.
15:50:19 Anything else today?
15:50:22 Really appreciate the PDF with it jumps to the right section. Thank you for that.
15:50:28 Nice.
15:50:28 L is hard work. So.
15:50:34 Okay, well we're at the end of our agenda. We'll be back tomorrow at 9 a. M.
15:50:42 I'll be there in person. I think Kate will still be back tomorrow, 9 a. M. I'll be there in person.
15:50:43 I think Kate will still be remote tomorrow, right? Okay. Great. Well, thank you, Mark.
15:50:48 Judy, for all the work that went into this, you know, kinda, you know, hurting giant cats.
15:50:54 I don't know, but, appreciate it. And with that, we are adjourned.
15:50:58 We'll see you guys tomorrow morning.
15:50:59 Alright, thank you.
15:50:59 Great, Greg. I hope your class goes well.
15:51:03 Thank you.