Commissioners consider increasing open range signage on North Touchet Road

DAYTON–The Board of County Commissioners convened on March 7 to discuss increasing open range signage along a section of North Touchet Road, budget questions from Emergency Management, upgrades to the County security camera system and increased allocation of budgeted funds for non-crisis cases at Blue Mountain Counseling.

The Commissioners met with the Public Works Interim Engineer Jeremy Weiland about increasing the signage along the open range areas of North Touchet Road after hearing comment during the recent hearing on open range. Weiland agreed it could be done at a reasonable cost that is already in the budget.

Emergency Manager, Ashley Strickland brought up a budget issue and said the department did not spend the majority of their money from the City contract for law enforcement, dispatch and court services. He said that County departments budget at the fund level, not for individual line items. “We budget on our revenue the city contract. The city contract, the last year, we did not spend the additional amount that we brought in. We didn’t spend all of it– basically we didn’t spend the majority of it knowing that we are going to pay for the radio system that is going to come up and the phone software upgrade that’s going to come up.” He went on to say they were preparing to send an invoice for the phone software upgrade only to find out from County Auditor Anne Higgins that as of the new year, all surplus expense budgets from the previous year, is assumed into the current expense budget which can be used to cover any departmental overages. Strickland said he was not made aware of this and that the department has carried over money in previous years. Strickland said Higgins told him that it can be included in the budget amendment to be held on March 21.

Strickland would like to know where the money went. The Commissioners plan to talk with Higgins about this. Ryan Rundell affirmed, “That money is for those departments.” All agreed the money can be moved between those departments, but not to current expense and they will look for resolution on the matter.

The Commissioners discussed the recent issues with County security cameras with former Maintenance Manager David Finney who is now Assistant County Engineer. Finney sent information about three options to be considered to upgrade the system and suggested they assign the responsibility for the security to a department. The Commissioners agreed they would propose it fall under the Sheriff’s Department for the Civil Deputy to possibly handle.

Dimita Warren from Blue Mountain Counseling came to request additional funding within the budget. “When it was originally discussed of having Walla Walla Health Care Comprehensive take on the crisis [cases], I had originally requested $1,500 of the tax monies. Since then, we have seen an increase of the number of individuals we’re serving.” She continued that the amount she was requesting was $2000 for non-crisis youth and individuals on Medicare or who are veterans. The Commissioners agreed to the funding. Commissioner Marty Hall asked how much the Walla Walla Comprehensive has been needed for crisis cases since they contracted with them last year. Warren said a group is meeting to review that information from Walla Walla Comprehensive, the sheriff’s office, the hospital and Blue Mountain Counseling.