HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/20/1990 Adjourned Meeting 1 197
NOVEMBER 20, 1990
ADJOURNED MEETING .-
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON. • , -.
The City Couricil'metJ'in session on this date at 7:30 A.M. in Room 421 at
. the Yakima County 'Courthouse for a meeting with the Yakima County
Commissioners. ' Council members present were Mayor Pat Berndt,
Clarence Barnett,`Henry Beauchamp, George Pechtel, Skip Semon and Bernard
Sims. Council member Lynn Buchanan absent due to other City business.
City staff members present were City Manager Zais, Assistant City Manager
Stouder, City Attorney Vanek, City Prosecuting Attorney Bounds, and City
•
Clerk Roberts. County Commissioners present were Graham Tollefson, Alex
Deccio and Chuck Klarich. County staff members present were Dick
Anderwald, Sheriff Doug Blair, •Mike :Schreiner, Jail Administrator, Dan
Hesse, and Dema Harris.
1. MEETING WITH THE YAKIMA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ON LAW AND JUSTICE
ISSUES
Commissioner Tollefson stated one of the purposes of meeting today
is to consider' legislative priorities. Commissioner Klarich •
reviewed the Washington State Association of Counties Law /Justice
• Related 1991 Legislative package: 1) State -Local Budgetary and Tax
Relationships; 2) Criminal Justice (a) Issue:, Funding Jail
Improvements; (b) Issue: Indigent Defense; (c) Issue: Refining the
Criminal Justice Funding Act (SB 6913); (d) Issue: Law Enforcement
Officers and Fire.Fighters (LEOFF) I Medical Costs; and (e) Issue:
Industrial Insurance for Jurors.: Commissioner Deccio told Senator
• McDonald the County needs money for interpreters, indigent defense
and medical costs for inmates, which comes to a couple of million
dollars a year. City Manager Zais said the City's top priority is
• to ensure the renewal of the law and justice funding from the
State. He said the City is also seeking a 'capital grant package
for jail construction. The City still has a question as to what
might be done on a joint jail package, assuming the money is
available. ' The -City and County have common interests in several
legislative amendments, i.e. room tax. Because he •believes it's
going to a •short revenue session, Commissioner Deccio suggested
• ' targeting the medical and indigent defense costs, because it is a
known cost. He said the has had the jail on °the back burner
for some time, and plans to. proceed with a low,security jail at
the old Crest building site to ease the overcrowding in the
existing jail. He displayed an artist's rendition of the proposed
work- oriented facility. The County would also like to remodel the
old Safeway building for the Sheriff's department. They plan to
maximize the use__ of house arrest and work release for
misdemeanants. 'The $2.4 million would build a 200 bed facility.
He said there is a sense of urgency to construct this jail before a
Federal Court says the County jail is overcrowded, and there is a
deadline for the State funding. He stated that if, within those
parameters, the County can work with the City, then that is fine.
Council member Sims asked if it is possible to go two stories on
this building? Mr. Klarich stated it is not possible with this
design. Mr. Deccio said this design does not have a kitchen
because there is one in the jail across the street. Mayor Berndt •
asked if the $5 per day inmate cost mentioned in Sgt. Schreiner's
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1 9 NOVEMBER 20, 1990
ADJOURNED MEETING
memo meant the City "'s''ibilling "would' be reduced from the $35 to $5.
Mr. Klarich stated that the'County' has always billed the City based
on actual cost.' Disctision;,followed" on'.whether the facility can be
expanded if the City pays for the difference. Mr. Deccio stated
that this will be a low impact facility so it does not impact
' personnel.. If another 200rbeds can"•be- added this, then we need
to begin talking about it, and there should be some flexibility.
Sheriff Blair commented that Yakima County does not have a solid
community corrections plan. The City is using,35 -40 beds a day and
yet' wants a 200 bed facility. He asked what would happen if the
.Legislature makes it no longer" necessary to put misdemeanants in
jail? He said that the misdemeanant, population has not increased.
• since 1986. City staff and Council members disagreed with the
statement that the City does not needi'additional jail bed space.
There are over 8,000 outstanding warrants, over 4,000 warrants have
been dismissed, and the City had a 100 bed jail before and now is
only allotted 35 -40 beds in the County jail. Commissioner Deccio
stated that the City will have to provide the funding for whatever
it wants to do. Sgt. Schreiner suggested the formation of a law
and justice committee involving the City of Yakima, County
Commissioners, Judges, Police Chief, Sheriff and the Courts to do
some planning for the future. Discussion continued.on the City's
need for additional low security jail space and the County's
"proposal to -build a facility to ease the overcrowding in their
jail. Bob Bounds talked about the misdemeanants he prosecutes for
the City and how a fine is given to the 'offender rather than jail
time because there is no room at the jail. Council member Sims
requested a list of alternative methods "to incarceration. City
Manager Zais asked if the County's plan would be flexible to allow
the City to add onto it after the 1991 Legislative session.
Commissioner.Klarich stated that the plan is.to have the facility
built before the Legislative session is half -way over. Mayor
Berndt stated she has questions on the juvenile justice program,
and would like to ask the County about their participation in the
DEA Task Force and the City /County- Narcotics Unit.
The next meeting is scheduled'for 7:30'A.M. on November 27th at the
- Courthouse to discuss DEA -Task Force, juvenile justice system,
City /County Narcotics Unit and Community Corrections Long Range
Plan. The meeting at the hour of 8:47 A.M.; the City
Council to then meet at the City of Yakima Public Works Complex at •
9:00 A.M. this morning for budget review.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: g e %'
C•UNCI M mER • •- DA
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COUNCIL R. • Dk E
ATTEST:
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• CITY CLERK I ' MAYOR
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