Here is something for you to further digest after the turkey is gone. Actually the turkey was the last session of the US Senate.... This is the letter our Sheriff sent to the Governor last week. We share it with his permission. DAVID S. BROWN SHERIFF OFFICE OF THE SKAMANIA COUNTY SHERIFF PO Box 790 200 Vancouver Ave. Stevenson WA 98648 Phone (509)427-9490 Fax (509)427-4369 skamaniasheriff [email protected] December 22, 2014 Office of the Governor Governor Jay Inslee 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Suite 200 P.O. Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504-0002 Governor Inslee, I am aware that the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners for Skamania County recently sent you a letter to inform you of the precarious financial condition of Skamania County. As you know, the United States Congress failed to reach an agreement in order to continue Secure Rural Schools funding to the Nation’s National Forests counties and rural school districts. SRS funding has been our lifeline since the year 2000 and has helped fill the gap created by the lack of proper and sustainable timber management on our national forests. Skamania County has long recognized the potential impact of a lack of SRS funds. Unfortunately, we are now faced with implementing a level of government service reductions that will prove to have a devastating impact on local citizens as well as visitors to our county. From my view as the elected Sheriff, I am both deeply concerned and equally frightened by the level of reductions at the Sheriff’s Office. Since 2012, we have been forced to reduce our number of patrol deputies from 19 positions to 13. We have also realized the loss of staffing in both the jail and records divisions. With the loss of SRS funding we are now looking at an additional reduction of 4 more patrol deputies and 4 corrections and records deputies. These losses are beyond comprehension to me and will critically impact our ability to provide a level of public safety service that will adequately protect the citizens and visitors to Skamania County. What is an absolute certain fact is a great many calls for service will go unanswered. Our ability to quickly respond and address real threats at our schools will be severely impacted. The safety of the deputies that remain will be difficult to maintain and when those situations arise that require more than one deputy to respond, that response will be noticeably delayed. The citizens residing here in Skamania County deserve the highest and most professional level of service possible. Unfortunately, we are hampered by a decline in both federal timber harvest and fluctuating State timber harvest revenues. Once a proud and productive timber dependent county, we are now saddled by fear of litigation, lack of understanding of proper timber management and endangered species classifications. As it relates to natural resource management, Skamania County has long been subject to the will of state and federal lawmakers. These lawmakers have continued to legislate in a fashion that heavily burdens government operations including local law enforcement. The most recent pending reductions will result in a lack of ability to effectively meet our legal obligations as they relate to enforcement of the law. I urge you to meet with your staff and with state lawmakers and explore every available option to assist Skamania County. State assistance may prove to be one of the most expedient and short-term options available to help maintain a reasonable level of public safety service and other government services in Skamania County. We are handcuffed to only 2 percent of taxable land in effort to generate sufficient revenue to provide services. The remaining lands are largely controlled and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the State of Washington and private timber land owners. Our long-term sustainability plan must include an increase in federal timber production as well as increased harvest on State trust lands. Our present financial crisis will have a significant impact on our local schools as well. Skamania County has been in an official and declared state of financial emergency. I ask that you work to fully understand our crisis, and move to assist us in any way possible so that we may provide a stable platform from which we can continue to keep our communities safe and meet the daily needs of those we serve. Sincerely, David S. Brown Sheriff
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 00:40:17 +0000
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