Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Court Funding And Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cowlitz County to seek consistent formula, ask cities to pay fairer share of district court costs
Summary
Finance director recommended basing city billings for district court on prior year operating costs (minus outside funding) and applying CPI adjustments; commissioners authorized staff to negotiate contract language with participating cities.
Kathy Funk Baxter, Cowlitz County finance director, told commissioners that the county’s intergovernmental contracts charging participating cities for district court services are inconsistent and out of date. She recommended a uniform, predictable allocation method based on the county’s operating costs from the prior year (less state and federal funding), divided by the prior year’s case count, and then applied to each city’s caseload.
Funk Baxter said current per‑case rates — $36.39 for infractions and $115.41 for criminal cases — are unchanged since 2021 and understate the county’s actual operating cost. Using 2024 operating costs and caseloads, finance staff estimated example rates of about $61.70 per infraction and $219.94 per criminal case if the county recovered operating cost on a per‑case basis. She said applying a CPI‑based annual adjustment would give cities predictability and avoid ad hoc decisions.
Commissioners asked about comparison to other counties; staff said prior surveys showed wide variation and no consistent statewide method. Funk Baxter said the contract templates are open‑ended and the county notifies cities by October of the next fiscal year’s rates. She asked for permission to open discussions with the cities to amend contracts and to propose a consistent, transparent allocation method. Commissioners indicated support and asked staff to consult with cities so the October letter provides advance notice and budget predictability.
No formal, roll‑call vote was recorded; commissioners directed finance to negotiate contract language with the cities and return with proposed amended agreements.
