PORT ANGELES – Clallam County ‘s pursuit to renegotiate the Comprehensive Criminal Justice Contract with the cities of Port Angeles and Sequim has been met with resistance from officials of both cities.
KONP has obtained an analysis of the contract, drafted by Port Angeles interim City Manager Nathan West and sent to the City Council members, which spells out the reasons for his reluctance to renegotiate.
In the letter, West says that one prime purpose of the existing contract was to eliminate the type of request the County is now making. Port Angeles paid over $840,000 last year for services, while the County retains all the money collected for fines and fees. By including the revenue collected as part of the contract, the County accepted both the risk and the benefits of any revenue changes.
The county’s reasons for wanting to renegotiate are a predicted rise in costs and loss of revenues because of House Bill 1783. West contends that the county could and should have seen that coming.
County administrator Jim Jones has adked for a special review committee to be formed, but West points out that an annual review is already built into the contract, scheduled for August, and feels that no other is needed.
West wraps it up by saying the projected revenue losses in 2019, around $800,000, are based on the interpretation of soon-to-be-retiring Judge Rick Porter. He goes on to say “before disrupting a contract to which so much time, thought, and analysis was devoted, it is prudent to, at least, wait to see what actually occurs in 2019.”
Nathan West was not available for comment, but we asked Sequim City Manager Charlie Bush if he and West shared similar views.
If the cities refuse to open the contract, Jones makes it clear where that will lead, and reads it straight from page 5 of the contract.