Polk County approves Community Corrections Act plan, authorizes letter so state can release funds

At a special meeting, the Polk County Board of Commissioners approved the county's Community Corrections Act plan and authorized staff to draft and submit a signed letter and contract to the state so the county can receive its grant payments.

The plan details how Polk County's Community Corrections program will use state grant funding to supervise funded felony cases and four specified misdemeanor categories; it also lists county general-fund dollars the county uses to supervise other misdemeanors placed on probation. "The money that the state provides to us, they require that we put together a Community Corrections Act plan," the Community Corrections director said, describing the document the board reviewed.

Why it matters: the state is holding the county's payment until the signed contract is returned. The director told commissioners the contract was due two weeks earlier and that, if the county had waited for the regular meeting on Nov. 3, the county likely would not have received funds until December and would be almost two quarters behind. "They're holding our check at this point," the Community Corrections director said.

What the plan covers: the director said the plan identifies each program and funding source and explains how funds are allocated. State grant funds cover supervision of funded felony cases and four misdemeanor categories the state authorizes for supervision (the transcript lists these as assault constituting domestic violence, menacing constituting domestic violence, "abuse 3," and specified drug enforcement misdemeanors). The county also contributes general-fund dollars to supervise cases that are not covered by the state formula, including non-domestic assaults, DUI, harassment and trespassing charges placed on supervised probation.

The director clarified that formula-based justice reinvestment funding is not included because Polk County does not receive formula justice reinvestment dollars; however, the county did receive a competitive grant through the justice reinvestment program and that award is included in the supervision section of the plan. The director told the commissioners the competitive grant was intended to create a downward-departure caseload overseen by a probation officer.

On ancillary issues, a commissioner asked whether the Community Corrections program uses electronic monitoring. "We do," the Community Corrections director said, adding the program currently monitors one individual on a lifetime GPS placement who was transferred from California and is expected to remain under supervision for about five or six more years.

Action: one commissioner moved "Move to draft the letter and, approve it and send it." The motion carried on a voice vote; the chair called for those in favor and an "aye" was recorded. The board directed staff to submit the signed letter and contract to the state so the Department of Corrections can process the payment.

Next steps and timing: staff said once the board signs the letter and the contract is submitted, the county should receive the state funds when the state processes the contract; the director estimated the county could have the funds by the end of the month if timelines hold. The board convened the special meeting to avoid delaying the contract process until the regular November meeting and to prevent a funding lag of nearly two quarters.

No dollar amounts were provided at the meeting and no formal roll-call vote tally was recorded in the transcript.