Clallam County Commissioners recently approved $1.4 million in funding agreements with nine area organizations to provide homeless services.
The homelessness funding approved on June 20 will assist organizations in the hiring of case workers; providing aid to victims of domestic violence; offering education about substance abuse; expanding their operating hours; and paying for facility upgrades.
Those organizations receiving funds were North Olympic Regional Veteran’s Housing Network ($220,000); Healthy Families of Clallam County ($83,422.95); TAFY ($84,833.3); Serenity House ($634,648); Forks Abuse Program/Mariposa House ($64,527.75); Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula ($76,048); and Peninsula Housing Authority ($25,000).
Monies came from recording fees the county collects on certain documents; it keeps about 60 percent of the fees to fund homelessness services and the remaining 40 percent are forwarded to the state. The Clallam County Homelessness Task force advises commissioners on the expenditures.
At its work session, commissioners heard from Sheriff Brian King and sheriff’s office staff who recommended the purchase of Axon body camera equipment for the department. The $224,324.85 (including tax) cost includes hardware, software and training.
King said the durability of the equipment, the quality of the system and its wide use in law enforcement were among the reasons the department selected Axon.
The ability of to share information with other partners was important, French said.
“We do we need to talk to judicial side about presenting evidence,” French said. “I met with prosecution staff and they are they are excited.”
King said that the prosecutor’s office would be included in any training.
“We are taking with prosecution office and the discovery process, that’s primary to me,” King said.
King said he estimated that it would take about 10-12 weeks after a contract was signed for the equipment to be delivered; training would occur after that when Axon instructors were available.
Commissioners agreed to place the Axon contract on the agenda for their next meeting. They also agreed to place on next week’s agenda a resolution on approve a contract with the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe to coordinate the installation of nine engineered log jams to present the Dungeness River from cutting a new channel through the flood plain.
The board’s 9 a.m. June 19 work session was moved to June 20 because of the Juneteenth holiday.
In other news, commissioners appointed Mindy Mady and Cindy Kelly to the Fair Advisory Board and approved putting an extension of a contract with Sound Law Center on next week’s budget.
