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Commissioners weigh $100,000 public-records eDiscovery software, parks season trade-offs and detention options
Summary
Board discussion covered a $100,000 annual Microsoft eDiscovery subscription to speed public-records work, parks-season extension tied to an $84,000 Tech 2 position and seasonal staffing, and detention trade-offs including a proposal to close Geiger A that would reduce capacity by about 40 beds and eliminate programs.
Several operational and capital items came up in Spokane County’s budget continuation on Nov. 3, including a recommended public-records search tool, parks staffing choices, and detention facility options.
Public records: Budget staff (Speaker 5 and Speaker 8) described Microsoft eDiscovery as a $100,000-per-year subscription that would improve search and redaction efficiency across multiple departments. Staff said it would not directly replace other software or immediately reduce FTE counts but could reduce future workload growth.
Parks: Commissioners and parks staff discussed extending the pool/park season by restoring a Tech 2 position (approx. $84,000) and adding weeks of seasonal help. Staff estimated two additional front-end weeks would cost about $76,000 (versus $31,000 for closing weeks), and commissioners agreed to pencil these options and revisit when the full budget is tabulated.
Detention and capital: Sheriff and detention staff presented three detention scenarios: status-quo staffing, closing Geiger A and reassigning officers (reducing capacity by roughly 40 beds and saving operating costs), and a deeper closure that would eliminate work crews, education programs and other services. Commissioners asked for a detailed breakdown of program costs, the feasibility of sustaining work-crew revenue, and cost-per-vehicle estimates for requested patrol/mobile command vehicles. Staff penciled $500,000 for patrol vehicles as an initial figure pending more precise estimates.
Next steps: staff will return with procurement options for eDiscovery, exact staffing-cost models for parks and detention, and capital cost breakdowns before the board completes the budget.
