2018-04-10 Meeting regarding jail housingMeeting regarding jail housing
April 10, 2018
2:03 p.m.
Present: Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson, Commissioner Stamper, Judge Samuelson, Judge
Buzzard, Undersheriff Wes Rethwill, Sheriff Rob Snaza, Chief Chris Sweet, Captain Chris Tawes
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Judge Buzzard said he has been told there are booking
restrictions. He said this is the first time there is no space to
confirm warrants.
Judge Buzzard said his understanding was that the jail was built
bigger on purpose so that contract prisoners would help pay for
the jail. He said his understanding is that beds are held to uphold
interlocal agreements with other entities.
Judge Buzzard said he wants enough beds to ensure an individual
does not go to jail simply because it’s overcrowded.
Sheriff Snaza said the county has a 10-bed block contract with Olympia. He said he has 15 beds
designated for Thurston County. He said he is seeing an influx of individuals coming in from Lewis
County. He said staffing is built at 240 but that the jail has seeing upwards of 250, 260 inmates recently.
Sheriff Snaza said it would cost $1.5 million (for staffing only) to return to staffing levels of the past,
which would bring back 10 employees.
Sheriff Snaza said the average capacity in 2017 was 206, but that this year the average is hovering in the
mid-220s. Sheriff Snaza said the average stay is nine days.
Chief Sweet noted that the first restriction was a month ago for those with suspended license stops.
Sheriff Snaza said Olympia has paid for a block of space in the jail. He stressed that it’s not the contracts
that are causing the problem.
The group discussed the staffing needed to accept up to 300 jail inmates as well as work release, home
monitoring and female housing.
Sheriff Snaza says he anticipates the trend is going to continue. He said the jail has a bed capacity of up
to 356. He said transports are taking a toll. Chief Sweet said 356 reflects double bunking, cots on the
floor, etc. He said there would need to be infrastructure improvements to reach the capacity of 356. He
said the FTEs put that at 240.
Chief Rethwill discussed the benefits of home monitoring but stressed that the jail would need to be in
control if they made the move to home monitoring.
TO-DO LIST / RECAP
Sheriff Snaza: Investigate costs
associated with home
monitoring.
Judge Samuelson and Judge Buzzard said they prefer work release over home monitoring.
Chief Sweet said restrictions should be lifted by the afternoon.
Judge Buzzard said the courts support the jail’s request for additional staffing.
Commissioner Jackson left at 3:04 p.m.
Sheriff Snaza said home monitoring, with four additional staff members, would cost roughly $600,000
for staffing.
Sheriff Snaza said he will investigate the costs of home monitoring. Judge Samuelson said inmates pay
for their own home monitoring.
Meeting ended at 3:11 p.m.