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2017-11-13 Update with BudgetUpdate with Budget November 13, 2017 1:32 p.m. Present: Commissioner Stamper, Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson, Becky Butler, Steve Walton, Sheila Gray, Jonathan Meyer (2:32 p.m.), Bruce Kimsey (2:32 p.m.), Sheriff Snaza (2:32 p.m.), Wes Rethwill (2:32 p.m.), Janelle Kambich (2:32 p.m.) Guests: Justyna Tomtas, Don Enstrom, Laveta Arnold, Mary Jo Christiansen Recorder: Rieva Lester Sheila Gray said she toured a potential alternative site for WSU Extension. Commissioner Stamper asked if any other buildings had been looked at. Sheila said she had looked at the senior center location. The group discussed the James Building as a possible site. Steve Walton said moving to the James Building could save $24,000. Sheila said she spoke to staff and would prefer to have the hours for both positions reduced rather than making one position part time. Sheila said the Master Gardener position could waive county insurance, saving the county $8,000. Commissioner Fund left at 1:45 p.m. The group discussed discrepancies in the 2018 budget worksheets Sheila had submitted. Sheila said Jim Kropf indicated there is no wiggle room regarding the MOA between the county and WSU. She said any negotiations would go through him. Sheila reviewed what the county’s $77,000 portion pays for. She said the county pays for $17,000 of her salary. Sheila said she did not reduce her travel budget because WSU is countywide. She and Becky reviewed the previous year’s Professional Services Contract. Sheila said she has occasionally requested travel reimbursements for her travels to airports. Commissioner Jackson asked if the county benefits from Sheila’s out-of-state travels. She says it does and that she could attempt to find a formula to support that. Steve Walton discussed the possibility of moving Family Support to Fiscal’s location. Commissioner Stamper asked if Sheila could reduce the admin further and take on some of those responsibilities. Sheila said that is done already during vacation times, etc. Commissioner Jackson said the board needs Sheila to adjust to some budget cuts. Sheila said she could cut back on programmatic expenditures and focus on local efforts if she has to. Commissioner Jackson asked if a grant writer is available. Don Enstrom said the group has looked into it and plans to try to secure some grants. Sheila said her proposal is to cut one position from 32 hours to 28 and to have office hours set as 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The commissioners said they would like to hold off providing guidance regarding WSU reductions until the board meets with Jim Kropf. The commissioners said they would like to meet with Jim Kropf at noon Monday, Nov. 20. Sheila said she would contact Jim to see if he would be available. Sheila Gray, Don Enstrom, Laveta Arnold and Mary Jo Christiansen left at 2:26 p.m. Commissioner Jackson and Commissioner Stamper left at 2:30 p.m. Jonathan Meyer, Bruce Kimsey, Sheriff Snaza, Janelle Kambich and Wes Rethwill joined at 2:32 p.m. Commissioner Jackson returned at 2:34 p.m. Becky gave an overview of the extra help budget for the Prosecutor’s Office. Jonathan Meyer said he is requesting funding for the two cold case detective positions that his budget absorbed in 2017. Jonathan said the victims and their families deserve justice and the community at large must be protected from the perpetrators. He said that the cases would not get worked on without the positions. Sheriff Snaza discussed the Maurin cases. He said Chief Kimsey put in volunteer hours to solve the case. Sheriff Snaza said there are six or seven unsolved homicides. He said the Maurin case spurred the efforts to create the cold case detective positions. He said another case, the Strasbaugh case, is being worked on now and may be close to closure. Sheriff Snaza said the sheriff’s office is down two positions. Janelle Kambich left at 2:43 p.m. and returned at 2:44 p.m. Jonathan said he feels the Strasbaugh case may be solvable. He discussed the timeliness of bringing the guilty to justice. Jonathan said he hopes to have the positions approved and then plan to absorb the costs through budget savings. Jonathan said the positions are a want and not a need but that they are vital. Commissioner Fund asked if there would be savings realized by outsourcing indigent defense. Jonathan said he would look into it. Commissioner Fund left at 2:50 p.m. Jonathan and Sheriff Snaza said the positions are approved for up to 69 hours. Commissioner Jackson asked whether the maximum monthly hours could be reduced. He asked what it would look like if the max hours were reduced to 30. Chief Kimsey said the case files are thousands and thousands of pages long with hundreds of potential suspects. Jonathan said he is confident the entire amount would not be used. Commissioner Stamper and Commissioner Jackson each discussed people they know who had ties to cold cases. Becky said the commissioners could say the support would be there if needed and then captured via a budget amendment if needed. Commissioner Stamper and Commissioner Jackson assured Jonathan the county would provide funding of up to $31,401 for the two cold case detectives in 2018 if needed. Becky asked Jonathan to resubmit his 2018 budget. Jonathan Meyer, Bruce Kimsey, Sheriff Snaza, Janelle Kambich and Wes Rethwill left at 3:05 p.m. Meeting ended at 3:06 p.m.