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Sheriff, oversight committee review Columbia County jail levy, explain fund separation after lawsuit
Summary
Sheriff Pixley told the JOCAC committee how the county interprets and spends jail levy revenue, described accounting changes made after litigation over mixed fund use and provided budget figures showing levy revenue covers part of payroll, food and medical costs.
Sheriff Pixley told the JOCAC oversight committee that the county’s jail levy was intended to fund jail operations and that the county altered internal accounting and auditing practices after a lawsuit alleged levy funds had been mixed with other revenues. "This is your guys' time to ask me questions," Pixley said as he opened the review and invited committee members to follow up on details.
A member reading the ballot explanatory language told the committee that earlier voter materials described "the operating funds will be used to provide constitutionally required care of inmates, including food, clothing, and health care, corrections deputies, as well as other corrections staff, in addition to facility maintenance." The committee discussed how that explanatory language and later county ordinances and administrative practices have been read by residents and oversight bodies.
Committee member Nancy said the wording had caused confusion: "that's where I think people are getting confused," she said, describing how voters and residents sometimes assume "operating funds" mean the entire jail budget…
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