Mayor: Sheriff Derek Sanders still drafting contract as Tenino Police Department's future remains uncertain
The Tenino Police Department's future remains uncertain after the Tuesday, April 14, Tenino City Council meeting.
While Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders and Tenino Mayor Dave Watterson announced they were working on a draft contract for policing services between the Thurston County Sheriff's Office (TCSO) and City of Tenino during a town hall discussion last month, Watterson announced Sanders was still working on the draft on Tuesday.
According to Watterson, only two officers currently remain at the Tenino Police Department. During Tuesday's meeting, councilors approved the surplusing of a pair of pistols, a Glock 17 and Glock 19, along with a badge no longer in use by the department.
"We currently have two officers. I had some discussion with Sheriff Sanders. He was concerned in a couple ways," Watterson said.
The first concern was the fact the department no longer has a designated sergeant in command.
"I don't want to make it sound like our officers can't do their jobs, but there should be a leader, a chief, in our city, and there's some risk in not having that," Watterson said.
With only two remaining officers, if one takes time off, it will also leave the remaining officer responsible for the entire city. Because of this, Sanders has ordered TCSO deputies to continue responding to calls in Tenino despite no contract being approved.
"There's no contract with them right now. He's just doing it because he's concerned about our city," Watterson added.
As for the draft TCSO contract, Watterson told the council originally Sanders was preparing a six-month contract just to get the city through to the end of the year while it continues dealing with budget issues.
"I think he's getting some push-back a little bit. He didn't have it ready for this meeting, so hopefully next meeting he will provide something to get us through the end of this year, and gives us time to decide, going long-term, what we want to do," Watterson said.
Years of budget misreporting from 2021 and 2023 resulted in an estimated $1.6 million from the city's restricted sewer and water funds being spent on non-sewer and -water items - resulting in a retroactive inter-fund loan councilors were forced to approve in order to pay that money back to its sewer and water funds.
Because of this loan, which includes interest on top of the $1.6 million, many city staff positions have already been cut in efforts to keep the city's budget balanced as required by state law. Despite positions already cut on top of other budget reductions since 2023, Watterson explained the city was facing bankruptcy if it kept funding the Tenino Police Department at the town hall last month.
For more information, read The Chronicle's coverage of the town hall at https://tinyurl.com/wxspz66f.
Other council business
During Tuesday's council meeting, councilors also approved a new contract for city prosecuting services with the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, as Watterson explained the new contract was cheaper than their current prosecuting attorney.
While previously the prosecutor's office had quoted the City of Tenino an annual cost of upwards of $40,000 for prosecuting services, Watterson told the council he recently met with a deputy prosecutor who gave him a new quote of $15,000 per year.
"I said, 'OK.' Somehow, our current prosecutor had found out before I even had talked to him, and he called me and says, 'If you can get it for $15,000, you should go for it, because that's a great deal,'" Watterson said.
The new prosecutor's office contract for Tenino goes into effect on June 1 and will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2027, costing a total of $23,750 for 18 months of prosecuting services.
Also approved by the council was a Forecast Energy solar panel installation contract for the Tenino Food Bank, located at 748 Sussex Ave. W., a city-owned property currently leased by the Tenino Community Service Center for the food bank.
The installation of the solar panels and associated solar system equipment is expected to cost $98,091.
"It came in significantly less than what we got in grant money," Watterson added.
Along with the approval of the solar panel contract, councilors also approved an amended letter of intent for the Tenino Community Service Center to exercise the lease purchase option for both the food bank's building and another city-owned property at 798 Sussex Ave. W.
The purchase price for the properties was listed as $215,000 with an interest rate of 4.62% per annum, according to the letter of intent in the council's agenda report.
For more information from the agenda packet or to watch the recording of Tuesday's meeting, visit the City of Tenino's website at https://www.cityoftenino.us/meetings/recent.
With summer quickly approaching, Watterson made the call for lifeguard applicants for the Tenino Quarry Pool.
"We've got a few already, but if you know anybody who has kids that are interested, we could use some more applicants," Watterson said.
Lifeguard applicants must either have already completed or be eligible for Red Cross Lifeguard Training, along with First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer certificates. Training opportunities are available and sponsored by the city.
Hourly wages for lifeguards in Tenino range from $17.13 to $22.96. A Quarry Pool supervisor position is also available.
To learn more about these positions and find out how to apply, visit the city's website at https://tinyurl.com/bdcu2ye8.
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