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Lewis County Commissioners Approve Requests for Mental Health Tax Funds

The Chronicle - 10/14/2017

Oct. 14--Requests for budget increases from various departments utilizing a one-tenth of 1 percent mental health tax have been approved by the Board of Lewis County Commissioners during the first round of budget decisions as the board works to adopt a structurally balanced budget for 2018.

The money in Fund 110 does not have any impact on the general fund, but instead is its own pot of money. The money generated from the tax has to be used for chemical dependency and mental health treatment, as well as court programs and services that include treatment, case management and housing services.

Commissioners to Begin Making Decisions on Budget Next Week

The Board of Lewis County Commissioners will hold a meeting on Tuesday to make additional budget decisions. They will consider each increase requested by departments and see what services should be cut. A recommendation from the citizens advisory group suggests relocating or phasing out the Washington State University Extension Office.

"We do not feel that this office's ROI or return on investment is adequate to continue funding at current levels," states the committee's report. "We would suggest partnering with Centralia College to provide continuing education courses and also raise visibility of the surviving offerings."

The county has been looking at how to save costs in the program by moving it out of the courthouse and potentially into a portion of the Twin Cities Senior Center in Chehalis.

Other recommendations from the advisory committee include the commissioners taking a pay cut equal to the percentage of new tax increases, not approving an increase request for the superior court commissioner's salary to tie it to 85 percent of the judges, ending the Public Health and Social Services immunization program -- which is already in discussions -- and proposing a new one-tenth of 1 percent taxes in several categories that were not specifically identified. Those taxes, according to the report, would not be for operating expenses or the general fund.

The group also does not recommend providing a $5,000 increase to the prosecutor's office for new suits. Mitch Townsend, with the advisory group, has reached out to Men's Warehouse to request a partnership to provide suits to the office. Those discussions are ongoing, he said.

During the meeting on Tuesday, the commissioners will also hear the advisory board's full report and discuss their recommendations.

All programs not required by law will be given a close look as the commissioners seek to close the difference of $1.2 million between expected expenditures and revenues for the 2018 year.

The approved funding requests include a $71,000 increase to hire a new full-time equivalent position in the county for a mental health alternative coordinator position, which will provide case management for superior court. The position is offset with $15,300 in funding from the behavioral health organization.

In a meeting earlier this month, Becky Butler, the county's budget analyst, said the contract with Cascade would decrease monetarily to help pay for the county employee.

Also approved was a $150,000 request to help offset inmate medical services for mental health and substance abuse provided through NaphCare.

Funding requests for both the juvenile department and the Lewis County Jail were also approved. The juvenile department increase is for $49,906, while the jail contract will get a $8,374 increase.

"This is an addition to the Cascade contract for (mental health alternative) staff due to the reallocation of the coordinator position," Butler said.

The money will fund a psychiatrist through the Cascade contract that can prescribe psychotropic medications, a service that is not provided through NaphCare.

"I think that's something we are going to have to do regardless because NaphCare cannot provide that or it is much more expensive," Butler said.

Commissioners supported the requests and gave the approval so the various departments could start working on the required contracts.

"I don't have any problems moving forward on this as long as the money is out there and available and it's not going to affect our fund balance," Commissioner Gary Stamper said.

County Manager Update

After the commissioners expressed an interest in reorganizing current staff under the board to create a county manager position, Butler informed commissioners the position under that strategy would cost about $95,000 for salaries and benefits. That cost would include taking an existing administrator or director to fill the position, while hiring a new a support staff member to help with the duties.

If existing support staff was instead utilized to support the new role, Butler said that cost would probably decrease by another $60,000.

To create a new position and hire a county manager from outside of current staff, the cost would be $250,000, which includes new equipment for the position, Butler said.

Commissioners now have three options as they move forward to decide if they will incorporate a county manager to oversee day-to-day operations in their office. They can either hire someone from existing staff into the position while hiring a support person, they can hire someone with no new support staff, or they can choose not to pursue the position, according to Commissioner Edna Fund.

Butler said the commissioners could look at allocating some of the cost across various departments that would operate under the county manager so the money wouldn't all have to come out of the general fund. There are several positions in the county that already utilize a similar fee structure.

Moving Discover Lewis County out of IT Department

After two years of operation, the commissioners are looking at transitioning Discover Lewis County, the county's online tourism effort, out from the umbrella of the information technology department and under the management of the Southwest Washington Fair.

A preliminary discussion on the move was held on Wednesday.

"This is the first time the board had actually been as a group, anyway, discussing this option," Steve Wohld, director of IT services, said. "I was asked a number of months ago to consider if we were to move Discover Lewis County into kind of its next chapter of life outside of IT now that it's built and where would be a place that would make sense for it to go."

Discussions centered around moving Discover Lewis County to the fairgrounds.

Currently, the IT department has an open vacancy. That position could be transferred over to the fairgrounds, which would result in an employee that is paid about $10,000 less.

"The technical elements an IT employee has wouldn't be required as much over there," Wohld said of the potential cost savings.

Essentially, the new employee hired to oversee Discover Lewis County would be at a lower pay grade.

"I think this is a good move," Commissioner Bobby Jackson said. "It was created, birthed and held at its infancy, and now it needs to grow. It won't grow in its current situation, so we need to take it to the next level."

Commissioner Gary Stamper said he would not consider the move if it includes any expansion of staff. But if the position could be transferred over at a lower pay grade, then he expressed interest in exploring the idea some more.

The potential reorganization is something the commissioners will continue to discuss as they move forward with a budget for 2018.

Employee Insurance Update

Through the county's current insurance provider, Washington Counties Insurance Fund, employees were looking at a 68 percent increase in cost because the county was determined to be a high risk employer because of its aging population.

To decrease that cost, the commissioners have been looking at switching to a different insurance provider.

The process has been difficult as the desired company asked for proprietary information that was unattainable during the application process. Now, with those issues hopefully solved, the commissioners have decided to move forward with the Public Employees Benefits Board Program.

If the county successfully joined PEBB, the cost to both the county and its employers would go up, but it's much better than the looming increase offered through WCIF, county employees said.

"It's going to be higher for everybody and for some it's going to be substantially higher especially depending on the plan," Archie Smith, director of human resources, said of the new plan. "The difference that occurs, though, is that when you look the PEBB plans are very benefit-rich plans, so you get into the insurance company's money much quicker than you paying out of pocket. But you pay upfront for a lot of that depending on what plan you select with your own employee contribution."

A percentage increase for the amount plans will go up was not available, because there are 20 different classifications of insurance an employee can select from.

"Let's put it this way: It's way less than the 68 percent we were looking at," Commissioner Jackson said.

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