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Klamath County approves Community Corrections biennial plan and Measure 57 funding amid warnings of program cuts
Summary
The county approved intergovernmental agreements bringing roughly $9.5 million for community corrections over 2025–27, while the director warned program reductions — including closed transitional housing and staff cuts — will limit services and strain local supports.
The Klamath County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 16 approved Intergovernmental Agreement No. 6906 — the Community Corrections biennial plan and budget for fiscal 2025–27 — and separately accepted Measure 57 funding under IGA No. 6940.
Aaron Hartman, director of Community Corrections, told the board the biennial agreement would bring a total of $9,502,401.94 in revenue for the department and outlined line-item sources. He detailed sharp reductions in local capacity tied to state policy changes, saying staffing fell from 42 to fewer than 21 and that four transitional housing opportunities had been closed. He said about 41 people were recently notified they would no longer receive housing services and that program reductions have totaled roughly $2 million.
"When I first became director of the department, we had 42 staff. Today, we are less than 21," Hartman said. "To date, we have closed, 4 housing opportunities for our folks here on community supervision." He warned the loss of these services will force the department to focus on the highest-need cases rather than broader evidence-based programs.
A separate, two-year Measure 57 agreement was presented to fund services for people serving local-control sentences for property, drug and driving offenses; the fiscal impact to the Community Corrections operating fund was listed as $457,037. Commissioners and Hartman discussed how legislative changes and funding shifts have reduced the department’s ability to provide prevention and reentry services.
Commissioner (mover) moved to approve IGA No. 6906 and the biennial plan and budget; after discussion the board voted to approve the motion. The board later voted to approve IGA No. 6940 for Measure 57 funding.
The agreements are intended to preserve core supervision and treatment services, but Hartman said the county’s capacity to offer transitional housing, comprehensive addiction services and other evidence-based programs has been significantly diminished, and he warned of ripple effects for victim services, treatment providers and local housing availability.
The board did not specify additional local funding measures at the meeting; next procedural steps are implementation of the contracts and internal distribution of awarded revenues.
