By Rob Ollikainen
Peninsula Daily News
PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners will wait a few months to consider the $250,000 purchase of security cameras for the county jail.
The three commissioners Tuesday pulled the item from a list of debatable budget emergencies and will instead consider the capital purchase as part of the 2016 budget.
Commissioners did approve a $17,469 budget emergency for extra staff to cover medical leave for injured employees in
the parks, fair and
facilities department.
After notice of a public hearing on the budget emergencies was published, Sheriff Bill Benedict; Parks, Fair and Facilities Director Joel Winborn; and other county officials determined it would be necessary to install the jail cameras next year.
“Just the timing to get the engineering done and everything, it’s going to take into the first part of the year anyway,” County Administrator Jim Jones said.
“There’s no use doing the budget emergency at this point, and I’ve added it into my preliminary budget.”
Benedict said he hopes to have the security cameras up and running by next spring.
“It is a substantial sum of money,” he said. “We want to get it right.”
Before the hearing, commissioners presented proclamations recognizing October as Disability Employment Awareness Month and recognizing employers of individuals with developmental disabilities.
They also approved a quit claim deed to transfer 20 acres of a 40-acre parcel from the county road department to the county parks department.
Disc golf course
The entire parcel off Thompson Road northeast of Blyn will become an 18-hole disc golf course.
County officials considered a disc golf park at Robin Hill Farm County Park west of Sequim in 2007.
That proposal was met with opposition from neighbors and was ultimately rejected.
Commissioners in 2010 added disc golf to the county parks and recreation master plan, except at Robin Hill Farm.
Winborn said the goal is to have the Thompson Road course operational by next spring.
Budget forums
In other county news, commissioners were scheduled to hold the first of three budget forums and road shows in Port Angeles on Tuesday evening.
Additional forums will be held at noon today at Blakeslee’s Bar & Grill in Forks, 1222 Forks Ave., and at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Sequim Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St.
The three commissioners, Jones, Budget Director Debi Cook, County Engineer Ross Tyler and other officials will be on hand to answer questions about the preliminary 2016 county budget and upcoming road projects.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsula
dailynews.com.
