HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-05-25-minutes-prosecutor-update-on-blake-decision5/25/21 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON WEBEX SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY 3:30 P.M. MAY 25, 2021
Board members present via Webex: Chairman Brett Wachsmith, Vice-
Chairman Laura Osiadacz, and Commissioner Cory Wright.
Others via Webex: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Jerry Pettit,
Auditor; Greg Zempel, Prosecutor; Elishia Harvill, Chief
Administrator; Jodi Hammond, Chief Criminal Deputy; Chris Horner,
Deputy Prosecutor III; Amy Cziske, Treasurer; Stephanie Hartung,
Deputy Prosecutor III; Judy Pless, Budget & Finance Manager; Val
Barschaw, Clerk; Barb Demory, Lower County District Court
Administrator; Sarah Keith, Superior Court Administrator. SPECIAL MEETING BLAKE DECISION PROSECUTOR
At 3:30 p.m. Chairman Wachsmith opened a Special Meeting to receive
an update on the Blake decision and process for reimbursing legal
financial obligations.
Greg Zempel, Prosecutor reviewed the recent Blake decision and the
possible financial impacts to the State, as well as local impacts.
He indicated the meeting was just to provide an update to the Board
on what he is currently aware of. He said the State has said they
would be responsible for funding the reimbursements back to the
Counties and Cities, but the exact details are unknown at this time.
There are cases that date back to 1971 in which people can claim
reimbursement for fines they have paid relating to the Blake
decision made by the Supreme Court. Mr. Zempel said they began
working on this as soon as the decision was made, even though they
are already backlogged due to COVID-19. He said they have been
internally discussing the reimbursement process and determined
people will need to file a Claim for Damages form with the Auditor’s
office. By filing it as a Claim for Damages, it will allow for
internal tracking and providing documentation to the State for
reimbursement.
Jerry Pettit, Auditor said the claims process would work best for
their office as well. Val Barschaw, Clerk provided some history of
fines, their records, and noted she had not seen what the Claim for
Damages form looks like. She felt the claims process would take
additional time for her Staff to process. Barb Demory, Lower County
Administrator said their system does not go back prior to 2005. Mr.
Zempel said the farther back people request reimbursement of their
fines, the more difficult it will be to find information, but the
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County can only do what they can do. Judy Pless, Budget & Finance
Manager recommended that Staff use Novatime to code their time
including the Courts, Clerks, and Prosecutors so they can run a
report when submitting for reimbursement to the State. She said it
would be able to list the percentage of the employees benefits as
well. She said any reimbursements would come out of the General
Fund. The Board thanked everyone for their updates and information
relating to the Blake decision.
Meeting adjourned at 4:32 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Julie Kjorsvik Brett Wachsmith, Chairman