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MINUTES

WASHINGTON STATE JAIL INDUSTRIES BOARD MEETING

February 8,2002

10:00 AM–2:00 PM

Administration Conference Room

King County Regional Justice Center

Kent, Washington

Board Members Attending:

Mary Boehnke, Kenneth Kunes, Jim Powers, Bruce Thompson, Julie Wilson, Marvin Wolff, Howard Yarbrough, Dan Tonkovich, Andre Loh, Runette Mitchell,Dennis Graham(staff), Jill Will(staff) Proxies Presented:

Jim Miller for ED Crawford, Jeff Johnston for Doug Jacques, Mike Anderson for Jane Johnson, Greg Depaul for Debra Latimer, Mike Anderson for Garry Lucas Guests Attending:

Welcome New Board Member Kenneth Kunes

Chair Bruce Thompson welcomed the new member of the Jail Industries Board, Kenneth Kunes, Grant County Clerk, Representing the Washington State Association of County Clerks. Mr. Kunes is very well suited to serve on the Board, Having worked for twelve years with the Grant County Sheriff's Department prior to his election as Grant County Clerk. Mr. Kunes was appointed to fill the remainder of recentoy retired Pierce County Clerk Ted Rutt. He anticipates geing appointed by the Clerk's Association to a complete term. A. Quorem Check

Chair Bruce Thompson determined a quoram was present and called the meeting to order at 10:15 a.m. B. Election of Officers

Per Jail Industries Board by-laws; elections for the one-year positions of Chair and two Vice-chairs are required at the first meeting of the calendar year. Chair Bruce Thompson opened the floor for nominations. Marvin Wolff was nominated for Chair and a second was received. Hearing no other nominations, nominations for Chair were closed. Chair Thompson then opened the nominations for vice chair. Mary Boehnke was nominated and a second was received. Runette Mitchell was nominated and a second was received. Hearing no other nominations, nominations for Vice-Chair were closed. Nomination as noted was approved by voice vote Marvin Wolff will serve as Chair of the Board for 2002. Mary Boehnke and Runette Mitchell will serve as Vice-Chairs in 2002.

Bruce Thompson turned the meeting over to Marvin Wolff, who conducted the remainder of the meeting.

Approval of the Minutes, October 26, 2001 Meeting

Marvin Wolff requested a motion to approve the minutes. Mike Anderson made a request to amend the minutes to reflect that there may be money available through the Southwest Washington (not Clark County's) Youth Council, which receives money through the WorkSource Investment Act. He suggested that WorkSource staff be made aware of the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project in order to foster continuity to the program. Chair Wolff received a motion to approve the minutes as amended, which was seconded. The motion passed. D. Executive Director's Report

There was brief discussion of some items in the Executive Director's report. Commissioner Bill Lehning noted that local criminal justice budgets lost 47% of state funding assistance due to the passage of I-695. Many counties, including Cowlitz,absorbed the cuts by making budget reductions in other areas and expending reserves to preserve law and justice services. It now appears that the balance of state criminal justice money sent by the state to local governments to replace revenue lost to I-695 will be cut and not be received by local jurisdictions. The money will be used to help reduce the state level budget deficit. In that event, Cowlitz County must cut criminal justice expenses. Commissioner Lehning suggested that many other jurisdictions are in the same situation as Cowlitz County. Other Board members shared his concern regarding the negative impact of revenue loss to cities and counties.

Jeff Johnston of Corrections Clearinghouse updated the Board on Doug Jacques' condition. While he has not yet returned to work in his office, he is telecommuting and available for calls and e-mail. Jill Will will provide updated contact information to Board members.

OLD BUSINESS

E. Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project Report Julie Ann Beck was present as a volunteer to provide the Performance Measures Outcome Report on the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project. Results of the project are extremely encouraging. The key performance measure of the number of apprentices indentured is a 13, 163% of the target. Additional apprentices will be indentured as an outcome of the project in several trades. The project ran its scheduled term from January 1-December 31, 2001. The project is now suspended pending receipt of additional funding.

ACTIONITEM: Jill Will has been and will continue to pursue all available funding options at local, state, and federal government levels, and with not-for-profit organizations.
ACTIONITEM: Board members requested that Julie Beck work with Jill Will to project results if the Apprenticeship Information Project were expanded statewide. A summary of potential statewide building trades' employment in 2002-2003 would be very helpful.
ACTIONITEM: Board members requested statistics on the total number of offenders in the tri-county area and information on total number of offenders receiving information. Jill Will will supply this information from the participant database.

Julie Ann Beck noted that the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project may be presented before the national building and construction trades legislative conference held by the AFL-CIO. This organization will be investigated as a possible funding source.

F. Clark County Update

Mike Anderson, Facility Commander of the Clark County Jail Work Center, gave a brief overview of operations there. The facility, which opened approximately two years ago, has both work release and in-custody work activities. On-site work includes grounds crews, a full service laundry; and a food services program which serves the work center, the main jail, and the juvenile detention facility. The program turns out 2400 meals per day with a $0.60 per meal raw food cost. The food services manager is a registered Dietician and a food services teacher who is looking into certificate programs in food service for inmate workers. This would be a useful credential for use upon release.

Mr. Anderson also provided information on the Padden Expressway Project and cited it as a good example of cost-effective use of inmate labor. The Padden Expressway is a major highway construction project. Inmates from the Work Center salvaged native plants from the construction site that will be held at the Work Center and replanted upon completion of construction. This will save the county a significant number of landscaping dollars.

Other worthy projects at the Work Center include: a joint project with the neighboring Clark Public Utilities generation plant which will allow use of water for an irrigation project; laundering, repair, and ultimate donation to charity of "lost and found" clothing held by the school district; and expansion of the Prison Fellowship Program, aimed at enhancing post-release services for ex-offenders.

Board members and guests suggested gathering comparative statistics on recidivism rates for program participants versus the general population. Such data would be very helpful in ensuring ongoing support. Clark County does not yet have such information available, as it is still in the process of developing partnerships with community organizations.

Mike Anderson acknowledged Dennis Graham for his good work on private sector business recruiting. Mr. Graham then provided an overview of marketing materials, copies of the Vancouver Chamber newsletter featuring information about the project, and copies of full-page spreads in the Columbian business section and the Vancouver Business Journal resulting from press releases. He also discussed a round of editorials and the coverage generated which features pro and con views on inmate labor.

Mr. Graham stated that most of the feedback from potential business partners has been generated by the direct mail brochures. News articles have generated some interest. In addition to the advertising based marketing campaign, Mr. Graham is active at Chamber functions, is addressing service clubs, and taking every opportunity to do "network marketing", such as hosting a Rotary Club luncheon and looking for potential leads when business people conduct unrelated business with the county. The partner who expressed the strongest interest to date does not fit with the timeline to fill the space as soon as possible. Nevertheless, the potential partner was very interested in the immediately available labor force.

Bruce Thompson complemented Dennis Graham for the quality of his work.

NEW BUSINESS

ACTION ITEM: Marvin Wolff requested that the Board issue a letter of thanks to Bruce Thompson for his three years of dedicated service as Chair of the Jail Industries Board. Jill Will asked that Julie Beck be recognized for her dedicated service to the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project. The Board so moved. Jill Will will follow up.

G. Budget Process for 2003-2005 Biennium
Jill Will provided an overview of the State agency budget process. The planning phase for developing the State budget for the 2003-2005 biennium has already begun. Detailed budget instructions for Phase II of the process will be issued in April. The Office of Financial Management wants some preliminary budget information submitted by May 1, 2002. Final submittals are due to the Governor's office in late summer.

Board direction is required on the following item's:

1. Identify the level of funding for the biennial budget request.
2. Decide with which agency to make the budget request.

Ms. Will summarized the Board's funding history. The Jail Industries Board (JIB) was authorized by legislation in 1993 with no funding provided. No funding was provided in Fiscal Years(FY) 1994 or 1995. A supplement budget request made in January 1996 for $100,000 was granted for FY 97. The Board was re-funded at $100,000 per fiscal year for the period FY 98-FY 2001. A very modest funding increase for FY 02-03 was denied by the Governor's office. The annual appropriation was increased to $110,000 per year for FY 2002 and FY 2003 by the Legislation in recognition of the fact that no provisions had been made to increase the Boards funds to cover mandatory additional spending such as salary increases during the preceding five years.

JIB does not have its own line item appropriation, although the money for Board operations is built in the current authorized level of the Department of Corrections, Division of Correctional Industries budget. This funding is then subject to a "proviso" added to the budget bill by the Legislature. The proviso is specific direction to an agency receiving money on how that money is to be spent. The proviso language for ;the original and continuing appropriations were gained by working with legislative budget committee members (especially Chairs and Vice Chairs) and staff to insert desired language into the budget bill.

Extensive discussion followed about the funding options available to the Board. These options include remaining in the Correctional Industries portion of the budget; requesting funding in another portion of the Department of Corrections (DOC) Budget; and requesting funding in another State agency budget. Given the serious budget problems now facing the State, and little prospect of significant increases in revenues, the Jail Industries Board is in a very vulnerable funding position. Governmental staff members polled suggested that caution was in order and that as little change as possible was the most prudent course. The Board directed the following action be taken:

BUDGET ACTION ITEMS:
Jill Will and Marvin Wolff

Set up a meeting with Department of Corrections staff to review options on where the budget may be housed. Invite other Board members to participate. Concentrate on identifying a budget area where there is a pass-through funding function or other tie back to local jurisdictions. Review placement in overall DOC budget as well as within the Correctional Industries(CI) budget. Try to secure a line item in the budget to reduce reliance on a proviso.
Meet with Senator Costa and Senator Hargrove to receive their advice on the matter.
Develop an alternative plan to secure funding if refunding proves not feasible through DOC.

Andre Loh
Review the Board's funding situation with Jill Nishi, Deputy Director of the Office of Trade and Economic Development (OTED). Discuss Housing the Jail Industries Board appropriation with OTED. Consult with Julie Wilson, OTED representative to the Board.

Jill Will
Prepare the biennial budget request to cover the costs of the executive director, one full time administrative support person, one full time apprenticeship liaison, one business development manager, and associated administrative and travel expenses.

Provide information in support of the budget request, including:
return on investment figures for the value of inmate labor to Washington
potential cost/saving of reduced recidivism, less public assistance
importance of inmate work opportunities in tight budget environment
importance of cost avoidance of alternatives to incarceration
reports to Legislative members by legislative district regarding the value of inmate labor in their areas

Seek third party support for the Board, including:
seek support from Washington State Association of Counties, Washington State Association of County Officials, and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
look at alternative funding sources outside of state government, including foundations with a specific agenda of criminal justice issues and federal government agencies
explore private sector partnerships with the Board to help pay the cost of the apprenticeship information program

Mary Boehnke
look into Federal Department of Labor dollars for apprenticeship programs

H. Board Organization for Calendar 2002 - 2003
Marvin Wolff and Jill Will reviewed the proposed Board organizational structure for the upcoming year. Work would be done in a committee framework and prioritized by a list of key tasks to be accomplished.
ACTION ITEM:
Jill Will - poll each Board member as to which committee they would like to serve on, and if they would volunteer to serve as chair of the committee.

I. Planning for New Board Member Orientation
The Board decided to revise the new Board member orientation, which was originally scheduled to run a full day on Thursday, April 4, 2002. In lieu of the full day training, the new member orientation will take place on the morning of Friday, April 5th. The regular Board meeting will be held that afternoon.

J. Other Business
There was no other business brought before the Board.

Hearing no other business, Marvin Wolff called for a motion to adjourn. It was so moved and seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 1:45 p.m.

SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS
ACTION ITEM: Jill Will has been and will continue to pursue all available funding options at local, state, and federal government levels, and with not-for-profit organizations.
ACTION ITEM: Board members requested that Julie Beck work with Jill Will to project results if the Apprenticeship Information Project were expanded statewide. A summary of potential statewide building trades' employment in 2002 - 2003 would be very helpful.
ACTION ITEM: Board members requested statistics on the total number of offenders in the tri-county area and information on totals receiving information. Jill Will will supply this information from the participant database.
ACTION ITEM: Marvin Wolff requested that the Board issue a letter of thanks to Bruce Thompson for his three years of dedicated service as Chair of the Jail Industries Board. Jill Will asked that Julie Beck be recognized for her dedicated service to the Apprenticeship Information Pilot Project. The Board so moved. Jill Will will follow up.

BUDGET ACTION ITEMS:
Jill Will and Marvin Wolff
Set up a meeting with Department of Corrections staff to review options on where the budget may be housed. Invite other Board members to participate. Concentrate on identifying a budget area where there is a pass-through funding function or other tie back to local jurisdictions. Review placement in overall DOC budget as well as within the CI budget. Try to secure a line item in the budget to reduce reliance on a proviso.
Meet with Senator Costa and Senator Hargrove to receive their advice on the matter.
Develop an alternative plan to secure funding if refunding proves not feasible through the DOC.

Andre Loh
Review the Board's funding situation with Jill Nishi,Deputy Director of the Office of Trade and Economic Development. Discuss housing the Jail Industries Board appropriation with OTED. Consult with Julie Wilson, OTED representative to the Board.

Jill Will
Prepare the biennial budget request to cover the costs of the executive director, one full time administrative support person, one full time apprenticeship liaison, one business development manager, and associated administrative and travel expenses.

Provide information in support of the budget request, including:
return on investment figures for the value of inmate labor to Washington
potential cost/benefit/saving of reduced recidivism, less public assistance
importance of inmate work opportunities in tight budget environment
importance of cost avoidance of alternatives to incarceration
reports to Legislative members by legislative district regarding the value of inmate labor in their areas

Seek third party support for the Board, including:
seek support from Washington State Association of Counties, Washington State Association of County Officials, and the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs
look at alternative funding sources outside of state government, including foundations with a specific agenda of criminal justice issues and federal government agencies
explore private sector partnerships with the Board to help pay the cost of the apprenticeship information program

Mary Boehnke
look into Federal Department of Labor dollars for apprenticeship programs
ACTION ITEM:
Jill Will - poll each Board member as to which committee they would like to serve on, and if they would volunteer to serve as chair of the committee.

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