Spokane7
61°
March 12, 2010 in City
Spokane Co. commissioner outlines accomplishments, cuts
County Commissioner Mark Richard’s “state of the county” speech Friday wasn’t written in red ink, even though the county has plenty of it.
He delivered his remarks to a breakfast meeting of some 300 Greater Spokane Inc. members and guests at Spokane Valley’s CenterPlace Regional Event Center.
The commission chairman ticked off a list of accomplishments despite a budget crisis that required $13 million worth of cuts to balance this year’s budget.
A plan to protect Fairchild Air Force Base from residential encroachment was completed, a railroad spur was built to improve security at the base, and construction began on a nearly $170 million sewage treatment plant.
Routine services didn’t fare as well. County officials had to lay off about 40, eliminate 140 jobs and make corresponding reductions in service, Richard said.
Still, he expressed satisfaction that the budget has an 8.4 percent reserve, allowing the county to retain its AA bond rating.
He also was pleased that the county trimmed $200,000 from its annual energy bill and moved offices back into county buildings to eliminate $150,000 a year in rent payments.
“We feel cautiously optimistic we can weather 2011 without further reductions in services,” he said.
Richard said public safety services were particularly hard hit because furloughs are impractical and not enough workers agreed to give up previously negotiated cost-of-living raises.
Unfortunately, he said, public safety cuts included a community corrections program and other initiatives to reduce the jail population and keep offenders from committing new crimes.
Richard said the county is working with the city of Spokane to restore the community corrections program with available revenue.
“We are hopeful that we will regain even more as the economy recovers,” Richard said.
He touted county officials’ efforts to reduce the cost of a proposed new jail for which they plan to present a bond measure to voters in April 2011.
He said commissioners and Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich rejected plans for a $265 million, multistory structure on the courthouse campus that would cost $8 million a year to operate. Now they’re looking at a remote complex of one-story “pods” that would cost $76 million less to build.
The remote jail would cost $1.2 million a year more to operate, but it would take 63 years for the operating cost to wipe out the construction saving, Richard said.
Recent stories by John Craig
County districts nearly equal in population after latest adjustment December 27, 2011 1- Prosecutor defends decision-making December 14, 2011 44
- Man ignites fuel tank with torch, burns house December 11, 2011 9
- Fire forces temporary shelter evacuation December 11, 2011
- Murder trial delayed months while judge, prosecutor feud December 11, 2011 8
CharlesBillford on March 12 at 7:42 p.m.
Did I faint and miss the part about the racetrack?
west on March 12 at 8:50 p.m.
Oh ya race track..they would like to forget that
D Statler on March 12 at 8:53 p.m.
Maybe we need new leadership capable of running the old jail before giving more good money after bad.The county just wants to look better on TV when the hooded goonsquad beats the heck outta everyone in a new jail.Maybe we will get a new Sheriff and Prosecutor in November before we get asked for more in April. Ozzie should have gotten paid for the last TV show hosted on public property.He wouldn’t be trying to panhandle us for more $$. Mr. Richards, please keep an eye on these corrupt and incompetent so called leaders.They are making Spokane look like SKINHEADS on steroids. I personally will be voting for any new direction offered in November.This has got to stop before we cannot attract anybody to visit here.
zelda on March 12 at 10:05 p.m.
What’s the deal with the 80s-era Inland Empire Zoo on Google Maps? Is this a diversion? Between trying to save the Jetson’s YMCA building and money-makers like the hot-rod track, it’s enough to make me nostalgic for Playfair. Let’s do the time warp again.
CharlesBillford on March 13 at 1:04 a.m.
Zelda are you Cherie Rodgers?
MrDavis on March 13 at 8:15 a.m.
Not a word about the racetrack debacle. Politicians count on the voters short attention span, but somehow I don’t think the total mismanagement of the county’s budget to the benefit of a few special interests will be forgotten by election time in 2012. BTW-the county’s AA bond rating, protected at the cost of 140 county jobs, including public safety positions, has been essential in the county’s selling bonds to raise money for,,,the racetrack. Not mentioned because it’s indefensible.