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2007-1090-Minutes for Meeting April 06,1981 Recorded 6/20/2007COUNTY NANCYUBLANKENSHIP,F000NTY CLERKOS V 1001. S COMMISSIONERS' JOURNAL 0612012007 10;54;55 AM 111111111111111 IIII I I I'll II 1 III 200 -1000 Do not remove this page from original document. ~ Deschutes County Clerk Certificate Page If this instrument is being re-recorded, please complete the following statement, in accordance with ORS 205.244: Re-recorded to correct [give reason] previously recorded in Book or as Fee Number and Page , s DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS APRIL 6, 1981 - SPECIAL MEETING Chairman Paulson called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. Commissioner Shepard and Commissioner Young were also present. The meeting was called to meet with the Sheriff regarding budget cuts in the Sheriff's department. Sheriff Jim France came before the Board and read aloud a written state- ment he had prepared, indicating that he is not willing to make any bud- get reductions in the Sheriff's department. There was some discussion. Sheriff France explained measures he had already taken to cut costs. Darrell Davidson explained briefly the activities in the Sheriff's de- partment which require the personnel they presently have. Chairman Paulson suggested making reductions in patrol personnel time, and keeping someone on call in case of an emergency. Sheriff France responded that they could not make further reductions in their patrol staff. There was some further discussion on how reductions should be made in this department. Chairman Paulson noted that a 20% reduction would not be possible, as this department provides 24-hour, 7-day per week service. He suggested arriving at a percentage figure they would like this de- partment to be reduced by and let that department work out how this will be implemented. Commissioner Shepard suggested that the Sheriff's De- partment staff take off Friday except for the patrolmen and the dispat- cher. There would be no civil papers served on Fridays. Chairman Paul- son responded that he is adverse to giving the Sheriff directives, but would rather that he formulated his own plan for reductions and report back to the Board with it. Sheriff France said that he is not willing to make a suggestion.to the Commissioners for cutbacks in his department. There was some further discussion. Chairman Paulson suggested that the Board direct the Sheriff to demonstrate how he can save loo of the remaining funds for the remainder of the fiscal year, not to include the jail. There was some further discussion. Sheriff France said that if he were to receive a directive from the Board to make cuts, he would have no alternative, but he will not voluntarily make any cuts. He said that he will not take any responsibility for reductions in the Sheriff's department, and is putting the responsibility for these cuts on the Board. MOTION: PAULSON moved the Board meet with the Budget Committee with the intent of directing a 5% cut in the personnel services line of the Sheriff's department and any possible similar reductions in the materials and services section. SHEPARD: Second. Chairman Paulson noted that the reductions apply only to the Sheriff's department and not the Jail. Commissioner Shepard said that he thinks that 5% is a very small reduction, basically a tokenism. There was some discussion on the actual savings that would be realized as a result of a 5% reduction. Commissioner Shepard recommended that the figure be changed to 10%. VOTE: PAULSON: NO. SHEPARD: NO. YOUNG: NO. MOTION: SHEPARD moved moved that to take a loo cut in the iff's Department budget. PAULSON: Second. VOTE: PAULSON: AYE. SHEPARD: AYE. YOUNG: NO. the Sheriff's Department be directed personnel services line of the Sher- J Deschutes County Board of Commissioners April 6, 1981 - Special Meeting It was noted that before this motion could become final, the Board must meet with the Budget Committee to amend the budget as described. Chairman Paulson suggested that the Jail begin making bulk orders in advance in order to save money, rather than operating on a day-to-day basis. He said that bulk orders would also be easier to handle on the new purchase requisitioning system. There was some further discussion. Commissioner Young said that he will stand on the position that no exceptions should be made, that there should be an across-the-board four-day work week. Phyllis Hamilton, Home Health Department, came before the Board. She said that if the Home Health Department has their hours of operation reduced, thoy will lose their grant funding. She explained that her department deals primarily with senior citizens and they are self-sup- porting. She explained the basic operations of that department and the effect a 20% reduction could have. They provide skilled nursing and physical therapy. Their physical therapist is on contract and submits a bill monthly according to the number of patients seen during that time. Mike Maier explained that Social Security pays about 900 of the funding for this department and the County picks up the remainder. There was some discussion on this. Chairman Paulson felt that perhaps an excep- tion should be made in this case. Commissioner Shepard disagreed and suggested that they still take a 20% reduction, but stagger their hours. Mr. Maier said that they are billed on a case-by-case basis. MOTION: SHEPARD moved that they not have Friday off, but have staggered schedules. PAULSON: Second. They will still be on a 4-day week, but the staff will be staggered to provide service 5 days. VOTE: PAULSON: AYE. SHEPARD: AYE. YOUNG: AYE. The Board agreed that Home Health does not have to have pre-authorization for physical therapy and mileage. Mike Maier asked how the Board will be handling programs that are funded by grants. He mentioned that there are some personnel positions that are under the General Fund, but are totally outside funded. He asked if these positions will also be cut. There was some disucussion on this, and the concensus was that they should also be cut. Mr. Maier said that the General Fund fronts money for the grant-funded programs. He suggested that the grantors be requested to provide funding in advance. He said that under the current procedures, this would create a deficit at the end of June. He suggested contacting Jane Kirkpattick to get more information on the cash balance. There was some further discussion on this. Mr. Maier then briefly discussion the Animal Control Budget. He said that this department will have to be cut because they are not generating enough revenue from the dog licensing program. He also found out that CETA personnel will also have to go to a four-day, eight-hour per day week, rather than a four-day, ten-hour per day week as had been proposed earlier. The meeting was recessed until 12:00 when they will meet with the Judges. Page 2 of 4 Deschutes County Board of Commissioners April 6, 1981 - Special Meeting Chairman Paulson reconvened the meeting at 12:07 p.m. Commissioner Shepard and Commissioner Young were also present. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the revenue short-fall with the judges from Circuit and District Court and how the courts could participate in making up the short-fall. Chairman Paulson explained that the other departments had been asked to go to a four-day work week. Judge Copenhaver said that he felt that it was good sense to exempt the courts from the 4-day work week. He noted that the employees of the 11th Judicial District are not just Deschutes County employees, but are partially funded by other counties as well. He said that they are currently having a hard time handling the load on the courts in five days. He said that they run into pro- blems even when the recess for a week-end and sometimes hold trials on Saturdays. He said that if they did cut back, they may not save any money at all because they may have to re-try cases that have already been heard. He said that he had sent letters to the local attorneys requesting that they volunteer their services for court-appointed cases. He said that already some attorneys were not sending the County bills for juvenile and mental hearings, which was resulting in some savings. He said that they are also asking jurors to waive their jury fees, in order to save money. There was some further discussion. Commissioner Shepard asked that they arrange their schedule so that court is not in session on Fridays. Judge Copenhaver responded that if they get any further behind than they are now, they will be forced to dismiss cases for lack of a speedy trial. There was some discussion on the 11th Judicial District's budget. Des- chutes County pays approximately 11% of the total budget. This amounts to approximately $2,000 per month. Judge Copenhaver said that they spend approximately $400 per day on a jury trial, so if jury fees were waived, that would result in substantial savings. There was some dis- cussion on the ramifications of changes in the docketing. The courts are docketed into May at this point, and witnesses have already been subpoened to appear at these trials. There was some further discussion between the judges, deputy District Attorneys and the Board regarding the caseload in the courts. Commissioner Shepard asked how the courts can make up the short-fall if they cannot go to a four-day week. Judge Perkins said that in Marion County they had begun charging the defendant the costs of a jury trial. He said that jury fees are the largest item of defense. He said that they could not do this with criminal cases, however. He added that District Court may be able to save some money by postponing some of its jury trials. He also suggested postponing paying some of the court-appointed attorneys until the new fiscal year. Rick Isham said that postponing payment is not-.legal. After further discussion, Commissioner Shepard suggested that the judges prepare some kind of a recommendation to the Board for saving money. He said that unless they agree to submit a recommendation, he is willing to make a motion that they close all three buildings on Fridays. Chair- man Paulson said that there must be some way District Court could save some money. Judge Perkins said that by not holding any jury trials, they could save from $15,000 to $20,000 per month. Chairman Paulson asked that this be outlined on paper for review. Judge Copenhaver said that since they no longer have the Defenders Association, they probably will not spend the full amount budgeted. It was also suggested that fines Page 3 of 4 Deschutes County Board of Commissioners April 6, 1981 - Special Meeting imposed by District Court be raised in order to produce more revenues. Judge Thalholfer said that he felt that the Justice Building should be kept open so that District Court could accept filings during the closed day. He said that it was crucial to keep the clerk's office open. The Board requested that the judges return on the following Wednesday to submit a recommendation for saving money. Lou Selken said that it was his assumption that the status of his department is contigent upon that of the Courts. Chairman Paulson responded that a decision had already been reached on the District Attorney's office, and that was they would go to a 4-day work week, but stagger their hours to accomo- date the courts. The Board does not intend to reconsider that decision. There was some further discussion on this. Being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 1:05 p.m. DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Cn=C~iL1 Rob rt C,/JPaulson, Jr., Chairm clay u. nepara, commi5siomr- Albert A. Young, mmissi r /ss Page 4 of 4