City and County agree on jail pact

[RecycleMichael]

This from the TulsaWorld...

Tulsa city officials drop county jail lawsuit  

By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer

Published: 5/18/2009  The city of Tulsa has dropped its lawsuit against Tulsa County regarding a new jail agreement while the two sides negotiate, Mayor Kathy Taylor told the Tulsa World Monday morning. Representatives from the city of Tulsa and Tulsa County are meeting with a mediator Monday in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The mediation session was ordered by Tulsa County District Judge Jefferson Sellers, the presiding judge in the case.

Taylor said the city decided to drop its lawsuit as a sign of good faith while the city and county negotiate. She said she was not allowed to discuss details of the mediation talks. Records show the suit was dismissed at the city's request late Monday morning. Monday's announcement comes more than four months after the city sued the county, claiming that it had failed to live up to the representations it made to Tulsans during the successful 1995 campaign for a permanent sales tax to fund jail operations. The old jail agreement expired Nov. 30.

The main point of contention has been whether the city should have to pay a direct fee to house its inmates in the Tulsa Jail. Under that agreement, the city provided various services and assets to the county for a nominal fee. In exchange, the city was charged no direct fee to house its municipal inmates in the jail. County officials have said the services provided by the city were either not being used by the county or of no real benefit. In addition, officials said, the revenue derived from the direct fee was necessary to pay for rising operational costs at the jail. The county also argued that the city of Tulsa should be treated like any other municipality that chooses to house its inmates in the jail.

The city has questioned the need for the additional funding and also argued that Tulsans were promised they would not have to pay a direct fee to house inmates in the jail if they supported the 1995 countywide jail tax initiative. City officials also have noted that the city of Tulsa pays about 75 percent of the sales tax contributions to that jail fund, a figure county officials have said is closer to 58 percent.

Meanwhile, the parties have been operating without a signed Public Safety Services Agreement since June 30. The agreement covers radio services, maintenance of criminal records and the consolidated warrants system. The radio services portion of the agreement, which includes answering 911 calls, was resolved last week when the county agreed to pay the city $864,600 for the services in fiscal year 2010.

I smell progress. The County agreed to the radio charge, the city agreed to drop the lawsuit and both sides are working with a mediator. I hope it all goes well and the city and county come to an agreement that works.

[RecycleMichael]

Update...

City, county officials reach jail contract agreement  

By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
5/18/2009  8:59 PM

The city of Tulsa and Tulsa County have agreed on the terms of a new jail contract. Officials said details of the agreement would be released Tuesday. The deal was struck Monday evening, hours after Mayor Kathy Taylor announced that the city had dismissed without prejudice its lawsuit against the county regarding a new jail agreement. The agreement ends months of wrangling over what the city should be required to pay to house its inmates in the Tulsa Jail.

Representatives from the city of Tulsa and Tulsa County met with a mediator Monday in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The mediation session was ordered by Tulsa County District Judge Jefferson Sellers, the presiding judge in the case. Taylor said the city decided to drop its lawsuit while the city and county negotiated. She said she was not allowed to discuss details of the mediation talks.

"We felt like that would be a show of good faith in trying to resolve our disputes," said Taylor. Records show the suit was dismissed at the city's request late Monday morning. Monday's announcement comes more than four months after the city sued the county, claiming that it had failed to live up to the representations it made to Tulsans during the successful 1995 campaign for a permanent sales tax to fund jail operations. The old jail agreement expired Nov. 30.

The main point of contention has been whether the city should have to pay a direct fee to house its inmates in the Tulsa Jail. Under that agreement, the city provided various services and assets to the county for a nominal fee. In exchange, the city was charged no direct fee to house its municipal inmates in the jail. County officials have said the services provided by the city were either not being used by the county or of no real benefit. In addition, officials said, the revenue derived from the direct fee was necessary to pay for rising operational costs at the jail. The county also argued that the city of Tulsa should be treated like any other municipality that chooses to house its inmates in the jail.

The city has questioned the need for the additional funding and also argued that Tulsans were promised they would not have to pay a direct fee to house inmates in the jail if they supported the 1995 countywide jail tax initiative. City officials also have noted that the city of Tulsa pays about 75 percent of the sales tax contributions to that jail fund, a figure county officials have said is closer to 58 percent. Meanwhile, the parties have been operating without a signed Public Safety Services Agreement since June 30. The agreement covers radio services, maintenance of criminal records and the consolidated warrants system. The radio services portion of the agreement, which includes answering 911 calls, was resolved last week when the county agreed to pay the city $864,600 for the services in fiscal year 2010.

Looks like negotiations went fine.

[MH2010]

Tulsa city, county officials release jail agreement details

By KEVIN CANFIELD World Staff Writer
Published: 5/19/2009  9:23 AM
Last Modified: 5/19/2009  2:27 PM

Details of a new city/county jail agreement released Tuesday show the city will pay the county $45 per inmate per day to house its inmates in the Tulsa Jail.

The daily rate applies only to the first 35 prisoners held in a 24-hour period; if the number of prisoners exceeds 35 in any 24-hour period, the rate increases to $54.13 per inmate per day.

The contract, which is expected to be executed by June 1, includes the following additional provisions:

-- Municipal prisoner is to be defined as a prisoner held exclusively on municipal charges. This is huge for the city

-- The costs of medical care for municipal inmates will remain the responsibility of the city

--- Tulsa police and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office will continue to process warrants in the Tulsa Jail

--- The city agrees to pay the Tulsa County Criminal Justice Authority, which oversees operations of the jail, $133,187 for the cost of housing municipal inmates in the jail from Dec. 1. to June 1. The amount was determined by charging the city $45 a day for an agreed-upon average daily municipal inmate count.

--- The Sheriff's Office agrees to pay the city $211,800 for law enforcement services provided by the city in the last quarter of fiscal year 2009. The services, such as radio dispatch, were part of the draft Public Safety Services Agreement signed by the county in August.

The bill has already been paid, Undersheriff Brian Edwards said Tuesday.

The city and county had been without a jail agreement since Nov. 30.

In December, the city sued the county, claiming it had failed to live up to the representations it made to Tulsans during the successful 1995 campaign for a permanent sales tax to fund jail operations.

The main point of contention had been whether the city should pay a direct fee to house its inmates in the Tulsa Jail, and if so, how much.

The city dismissed its lawsuit without prejudice on Monday.

[nathanm]

Well, as they say, if any party goes away happy, a mediator has failed at their job.

It seems like it's a better deal for the county to get free city services than it is to have the city paying for inmates and charging for those services, but whatever.

[RecycleMichael]

A room at Motel 6 and the McDonald's dollar menu is about $45 a day...sounds like a fair price to me.

[Wilbur]

Missing is one point that we all need to wait on, and that is what direction the police department gives when an officer arrests someone for only city charges.  Will that person still go to the county jail?  Or will some other arrangements be made to house the person someplace else to avoid the $45?  Of will these people still be arrested in the same manner they are now.  Plenty more questions along these lines.

Edit:
Uh, oh.  Just saw the Mayor on the news.  Her comments lead me to believe these 'prisoners' are not headed to the county jail.

[nathanm]

Missing is one point that we all need to wait on, and that is what direction the police department gives when an officer arrests someone for only city charges.  Will that person still go to the county jail?  Or will some other arrangements be made to house the person someplace else to avoid the $45?  Of will these people still be arrested in the same manner they are now.  Plenty more questions along these lines.

Edit:
Uh, oh.  Just saw the Mayor on the news.  Her comments lead me to believe these 'prisoners' are not headed to the county jail.

Out of curiosity, other than bench warrants for not paying city tickets, what criminal offenses does the city have on the books that are not also state offenses?

[Wilbur]

Out of curiosity, other than bench warrants for not paying city tickets, what criminal offenses does the city have on the books that are not also state offenses?

Almost all city criminal offenses are mirrored off of state statute, but for a minor few.  If both are available to the officer, he/she is, under most circumstances, directed to book on city charges as opposed to state charges.

[Wilbur]

"We're looking at a good business model that prioritizes public safety, but doesn't unnecessarily place people in David L. Moss and strain the sheriff's system," said Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

The mayor says that a more thoughtful process of evaluating city inmates could cut the average number from 35 to 15 inmates a day.

That will save money for the city and the mayor believes give non-violent offenders a better chance of paying their fines.

from KOTV

These comments lead me to believe most city prisoners will no longer go to the county jail who currently do.  See the [Rant] topic complaining of people NOT going to jail.