Medical Lake discusses law enforcement bill from Spokane County Sheriff's Office

The Medical Lake City Council breezed through a quick agenda at its May 5 meeting.

Major John Higgins informed City Council that the city received an increase to the monthly bill from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for policing services.

City Administrator Ross explained that the city’s contract with the Sheriff’s Office includes a “settle and adjust” clause. If the Sheriff’s Office did not bill the city the correct amount in 2014, it can add the amount it didn’t charge to the bill in the first four months of the new year. Ross added that the Sheriff’s Office also settled its union contract.

“The deputies got an increase and the Sheriff’s Office passed that on to the city,” Ross said.

Medical Lake began contracting services with the Sheriff’s Office in 2009 after its own police department dissolved. It budgeted $862,500, for this year’s contract, $27,800 more than last year. Ross added that he and the mayor will be contacting the Sheriff’s Office about the charge and other issues regarding the contract.

“The contract allows the city to dispute the charge,” Ross said. “We are in the process of sending a letter to the Sheriff’s Office regarding the matter.”

One of the action items council approved was the yearly work services agreement with the Department of Corrections. Ross said DOC provides 10 crewmembers to perform community service. The cost for the work crew is $250 a day.

“You’ll usually see them cleaning up around SR (State Route) 902,” Ross said.

The council also approved a one-year contract with Christine Matt to teach yoga classes for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department until February 2016. According to the contract, Matt will provide the equipment for the instructional portion of the class and will be reimbursed 80 percent of the fees collected by the city based on full payment from participants.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.