5 year sheriff’s contract unveiled at council

Big changes are coming for law enforcement in La Conner in 2022. The town council will decide about whether to sign a five-year agreement with the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office when it agrees on the police contract embedded in the annual budget.

Mayor Ramon Hayes introduced the topic at the Nov. 9 council meeting, telling its members that he and Administrator Scott Thomas had a draft agreement following a meeting with sheriff’s office staff. Thomas had provided a two-page memo to the council in their meeting packets.

The sheriff’s office is considering making La Conner a base if they create autonomous offices with their zone structure of covering the county, increasing deputies time in town. “What they have asked from us is to have a five year agreement,” Hayes said, to show commitment and provide stability and planning. The 2022 contract, still being negotiated, is $364,207, a 10% increase over this year.

The sheriff’s office has not responded to the town’s written proposal, Thomas wrote in his memo, and both parties are still shaping it. Thomas has added community policing consisting of two First Street foot patrols weekly and deputies enforcing town ordinances for potentially dangerous dogs, junk vehicles and camping in public. Council will need to amend the municipal code to provide for this.

Separately, Thomas provided council with a draft code enforcement officer job description. Funds for $113,000 are in the budget for the position and associated costs, including a vehicle. There is also a time commitment for training, Thomas said.

Councilmember Marylee Chamberlain noted that media relations are defined. The language emphasizes releases to the media managed by the sheriff’s office. Chamberlain has been championing the need to manage town communications with residents. Hayes responded more discussion is needed with the sheriff’s office.

Councilmember Mary Wohleb asked about a requirement for quarterly meetings. Hayes and Thomas explained that the detachment staff meets monthly in the joint departmental staff meetings.

Councilmember John Leaver was skeptical, noting the draft contains the same language of 80 hours a month and a 10 minute response time, that there is a 15% increase in the cost yet the level of service is the same as for residents in unincorporated communities.

Hayes said the points brought up would be incorporated, ending the discussion. Law enforcement costs and the 2022 preliminary budget was not brought up by council or the mayor.

Council has a 35 page budget document and a 20 page draft package for the police contract and code enforcement position to wade through and respond to at its Nov. 23 meeting. The council, which had budget hearings in September and October, had little to say or question of the preliminary budget presented them in their packets ahead of their meeting.

Council unanimously approved an ordinance amending its rules for renting Maple Hall, following months of advocacy by residents Matt May and Russell Chandler for allowing the New Year’s Eve dance fundraiser for the La Conner Live summer concerts to allow music beyond the 10 p.m. The resolution deletes the rental fee table, replacing it with council establishing rental fees for town facilities on a resolution basis. Apparently the time music must stop will also be set by council.

Leaver spoke for council flexibility and control and avoiding getting a reputation so no one will rent Maple Hall. Stokes said the hall was built for the town’s residents to use, implying that the rules should not be onerous.

The council was also in agreement in approving an ordinance for the annual update of fee schedule for various land use and public works services

Hayes noted that the council election opens Taylor’s parks commissioner position and Rick Dole’s planning commission position. Wohleb suggested they evaluate replacing them in January.

Council adjourned at 8:30 p.m.