2017-119-Minutes for Meeting August 05,1985 Recorded 3/23/2017Recorded in Deschutes County CJ2017-119
Nancy Blankenship, County Clerk
Commissioners'Journal 03/23/2017 11:54:26 AM
For Recording Stamp Only
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
Bend, Oregon
DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Audio Cassette Recording Titled: WORK SESSION
August 5, 1985, 10:00-11:15 AM
A meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was held on August 5, 1985.
Commissioners present were Dick Maudlin, Larry Tuttle and Lois Prante. Also
present were some County staff.
On the next business meeting agenda, the Board will consider:
Purchase of a new reversible snow plow purchase.
Discussion of Countywide Real Property Computer System.
Consideration of Signature of a Site Plan and Development Agreement.
Approval of Various Liquor Licenses.
Discussion of a Final Ordinance for the Sisters and Redmond Transportation
Plans.
Transcription of Audio Recording of Work Session of August 5, 1985 Page 1 of 5
Proposal regarding Community Corrections Funding Options.
Jim (?) spoke about future potential funding options for Community Corrections.
He said that they have been dealing with Option 3 since 1977. In this case, the
County has no liability or obligation to the Advisory Committee, and makes plans
to use funds that the County provides for services here. They get 47% through a
State grant.
For this biennium, the legislature passed a house bill that says there is no class C
felony payback. Each will give the County $3,000. This is a one-time only thing
for two years. They are really not sure what the grant will be, but it is thought to
be between $248,000 and $294,000 for the biennium. If the County wishes to
participate, it has to submit a plan to Corrections on how the funds would be
used.
In Option 2, the County says they will take the grant and plan how to use it, and
contract with the State for what they require for Parole and Probation cases. The
State idea is to keep the Class C felons out of business and provide programs that
will allow them to complete probation.
Option 1 is where the County takes over the whole thing, the State operation and
the other funds, and the County sets up its own corrections program in place of
the State program. After the first two years, the County will pay $3,000 the State
for each Class C felon that is committed to prison from Deschutes County courts.
They have a unique situation here, with a lot of transients getting arrested and
convicted here. They often don't have an alternative to prison, depending on
what's going on at the jail. They have been committing about 44 Class C felons
every two years. That means about $132,000. They need to look at the feasibility
long-term.
For the next two years with no payback required, it will give them an opportunity
to use some funds to develop some programs and see if they are able to keep
some people out of prison. Each two-year the County will have an option to stay
in the program, or not.
Transcription of Audio Recording of Work Session of August 5, 1985 Page 2 of 5
Some bigger counties are using Option 1; taking all the money and setting up
departments and running county programs. They take total responsibility.
Sometimes it is profitable, sometimes not.
Ms. Prante said she is more concerned about effectiveness and meeting the
needs of the community, and keeping people out of prison. She asked about the
advantages and disadvantages.
Jim said that most counties go with Option 2, taking part of the responsibility to
set up programs to find out if they work and are cost-effective. Klamath is doing
this now, and Umatilla will be as well.
Ms. Prante stated she understands that Option 2 will give them a chance to find
out how well it works. They have some programs already. Jim said that they have
contracted with a lot of employees so they are not obligated long-term. These
are two-year contracts with private organizations.
Mr. Throop asked about jail overcrowding and litigation and whether this is why it
is being offered. Jim said that they are all faced with these problems. It would
take a lot right now to chance this significantly. They know the State prisons are
full. This is an opportunity to use State funds to try to develop programs to help
with the situation locally.
(There was a lengthy discussion and reiteration of the above.)
The Community Corrections Act provides just $29,000 towards mental health
services for two years. That is a very small amount to cover treatment, security
and other aspects. These are often court-ordered treatment cases. They would
like to have a full-time mental health counselor to work with corrections clients.
They also would like to have a work crew, and need a supervisor for that, for
County, public works or community service projects. An organized program is
needed for this. Other counties have set this up. Sometimes it helps with jail
overcrowding as well. People get out of jail and have nothing — no place to go
and nothing to do.
Transcription of Audio Recording of Work Session of August 5, 1985 Page 3 of 5
The Courts are not very open to house arrests right now. There has been talk
about using some funds for polygraphs, rather than jail, to make sure offenders
are doing what they should. The Department could purchase the equipment
through grant funds, although sometimes they just lease this through the Sheriff's
Office.
Ms. Prante asked if this could be on a part-time basis. Jim said they run just three
tests a day, but the Sheriff's Office feels that this could keep someone busy all
day, five days a week. Just like breathalyzer testing. Testing would be needed if
they used existing staff.
They contract with Ponderosa for treatment services now. The department is
doing all it can to free up jail beds. The bottom line is how the options might
impact the jail.
Jim stated that it would take at least three or four weeks to talk to everyone
about developing programs. It would take significantly more time to get them
developed and running. One concern is that the Courts and State sometimes
reclassify what a Class C felony is. This would have an impact on how many the
County has to deal with and the payback option. The hope is to keep people from
going back to jail.
No one knows what the State will be doing two years from now, but this gives an
option to figure out if there are viable programs to develop and use. This funding
is one-time only at this time, for that purpose. The County can do this itself, or
hire private companies to do it, if they will agree to do this on a short-term, two-
year basis. Basically, the State is trying to push more responsibility on the
counties. Ms. Prante would like to see some projection numbers. They can adjust
the figures as things develop.
(There was a lengthy discussion about the possibility and potential of a regional
jail system.)
Transcription of Audio Recording of Work Session of August 5, 1985 Page 4 of 5
I certify that the above is a true and accurate record of a meeting, as reproduced from a
cassette tape identified as Minutes of a Business Meeting of the Deschutes County Board of
Commissioners, held on August 5, 1985. This record was completed subsequent to the
presiding Deschutes County Board of Commissioners' tenure.
c.:
Bonnie Baker
For the Board of County Commissioners
Transcription of Audio Recording of Work Session of August 5, 1985 Page 5 of 5