Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Probation Funding And Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Probation staff report highlights new MRT course, funding shortfalls and negotiation with Stevenson
Summary
Probation reported two enrollments in a new MRT course, ongoing negotiations with Stevenson over funding remittances, and concern that state changes limiting fee collection reduce local revenue for supervision services.
A probation official identified as Chris told the Skamania County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 14 that a new Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT) course has begun enrollment and that ongoing changes in state rules are constraining the department's ability to collect supervision fees.
Chris said two people are currently signed up for the new course and another begins this week; once a third person enrolls the department expects to recoup its initial class-start costs. He described MRT as "an excellent way forward for folks with ... issues out there in our community to complete their court conditions in order to get them off supervision and not reoffend in the future." (Chris)
The report also described ongoing negotiations led by staff member Adam with the city of Stevenson to secure more reliable funding for probation services. Chris explained that amounts the county receives from Stevenson are remittances of fees collected by the courts rather than a dedicated payment from the city: "They don't actually pay any amount of money that I'm aware of for probation services. They remit the money that they collected." (Chris)
Chris outlined how recent state-level changes have reduced the courts' ability to collect even minor fines and fees and noted the consequences for local budgeting. He gave examples of typical fee amounts in local supervision: $50 per month is a common supervision fee (modifiable by the court); the statutory maximum the county can charge was described as $100 per month for formal probation and a flat $150 fee for pretrial programs. Electronic monitoring and certain sober-monitoring charges are billed through contractors and do not flow to the county.
Commissioners and staff discussed the budgeting implications, the county's duty to allow indigent defendants to perform community service in lieu of fees when the court so orders, and the department's monthly reporting of check-ins, violation filings and court appearances. No formal board action was taken; staff indicated negotiations with Stevenson and continued reporting would proceed.
