Bulletin Column: Dec. 27, 2018

These reports are from the previous four issues of the Daily Bulletin in Colfax. They are reprinted here for the benefit of Gazette readers who reside outside of Colfax. Some accounts have been updated.

POOL ASSAULT NETS PRISON

Demetrius R. Robinson, 31, was sentenced to 15 months in prison Friday morning after an extended sentencing hearing in Whitman County Superior Court. Robinson, who has been in jail here since he was arrested, was convicted by a jury Nov. 13 of charges of second-degree and fourth-degree assault.

He was arrested for assaulting a man in the indoor pool at the Campus Commons apartment complex in the early morning of July 8. The November trial included surveillance videos which showed Robinson making an extended attack on the victim, Bright Johnson of Pullman.

At the end of the hearing, Robinson told the court he has been deeply disgusted with his actions and had that reaction when he viewed the surveillance video at his trial. He also turned to face the victim, Johnson, who was seated in the courtroom, and apologized for his actions and the impacts it has had on his life.

Prior to Robinson's statement to the court, Johnson told the judge how the assault had impacted his life. He sustained injuries to an eye socket and was now having difficulty landing a job. He also said he has fallen behind in his rent payments and expects to lose his apartment.

As part of his argument, Prosecutor Dennis Tracy presented the court with the record of 11 prior convictions which comprise Robinson's criminal record. The cases dated back to a 2000 juvenile court conviction for robbery and convictions for assault and an attempted drug violation. He also filed records of seven convictions of driving with a suspended license. He noted the DWLS convictions meant Robinson's convictions going back 18 years never "washed out" of his criminal record and served to place his standard sentencing range between 13 and 17 months.

Tracy said Robinson "savaged" his victim in the assault, which at one point included Robinson holding the victim's head under water while Johnson attempted to take refuge in a hot tub.

Defense Attorney Steve Martonick argued Robinson's felony convictions happened early in his life, and he would not have been facing the prison term if he didn't have the subsequent record of DWLS convictions.

Judge Pro-Tem David Frazier set the prison term at 15 months and ordered Robinson to remain on 18 months of probation after he completes his sentence. He was also ordered to undergo an evaluation for anger management and undergo any treatment recommended. He was ordered to have no contact with Johnson for 10 years.

BUDGET INCLUDES UTILITY HIKE

A 3.5 increase in city utility rates for water and sewer was included in the 2019 city budget which was approved at the Dec. 17 city council session. The increase is expected to add approximately $2.50 to the average cost per residence in the city.

Colfax general fund last year marked reductions in salary costs because of staffing vacancies during the year. The biggest gain came with the position of city administrator being vacant for most of the year. The unfilled vacancy accounted for a reduction of approximately $100,000 in pay costs, according to Chris Mathis, city finance director who has also served as interim city administrator for most of the year.

The city also marked some savings with staffing gaps in the fire and police departments. Although those rosters had gaps, the city still had to pay costs for part-time employees or for overtime expenses to fill the duty shifts.

The situations did net a savings in less costs for benefits, such as retirement, which were not paid to part-time employees.

The city's general fund, which covers most of the city hall operations, has been pegged to start 2019 with a $47,020 cash reserve.

POST-CEDAR CITY BUDGET

Colfax city council Dec. 17 approved a budget for next year which actually marks a 34 percent decline in funding. The budget reflects the completion of the Cedar Street project which included an expenditure of approximately $703,000 in city funds. The city money was spent mostly for water and sewer upgrades before the rebuild and paving of four blocks of Cedar Street and Oak Street in the North Flat section of town.

City funds were added to a $1,073,000 state Transportation Improvement Board grant to put the total cost of the summer-long street project at $1,776,000.

Bottom line for the city's funding for last year was $5,449,797, and the bottom line for 2019 is $3,572,431, or $1,977,366 less.

Actual Colfax spending for 2018 finished $813,471 under the $5,449,974 appropriation.

Public Works Director Matt Hammer pointed out at the budget hearing that the $703,000 city portion of the Cedar Street project came out of public works reserve funds which will now have to be replenished for future projects.

During the budget hearing, Councilman Jim Lemon questioned a charted drop in the parks department's cash standings over the course of the year. He noted the parks budget shows a $108,000 beginning balance for the start of 2019 and a reduction to $90,187 at the end of the year.

He said he questions the slide in projected cash standing in light of voters' approval of formation of a metropolitan parks district and a tax levy. The parks budget shows $82,853 going into the budget from the metropolitan tax district next year.

Kackman noted the parks budget includes capital expenditures which can be expected to cut down the parks reserve fund figure over the 2019 budget year.

Capital spending for the swimming pool has been charted at $24,500, and spending for parks, including play equipment, at $45,200.

Monday night, the Dec. 17 council session included a short conversion to a meeting of the Metropolitan Parks Board, which approved an additional transfer of $32,855 tax revenue from the new district to the city parks budget.

Another budget item pointed out the city's buildup of its fund from the hotel/motel tax. The city has built up $156,825 reserve from the tax and projects another $49,000 this year with $55,000 in charted spending for 2019.

LACROSSE SUSPECT CHARGED

Jeffrey Marshall of LaCrosse was charged Dec. 14 with assault with a deadly weapon, a knife. Marshall, 52, was arrested in LaCrosse Dec. 12 after deputies responded to a report of a fight on Crystal Street.

The arrest report alleged the victim, Bert Hanson, sustained cuts to his fingers when he attempted to ward off an alleged knife assault by Marshall.

The court set bail for pre-trial release at $20,000 surety or $2,000 cash. Marshall pleaded not guilty in court Friday.

BULLDOGS CHS FOYER CONCERT

Colfax High School band students performed a Christmas concert in the entrance foyer of Colfax High School Thursday morning starting at 8 a.m. Director Mike Morgan noted this marks the 26th year band students have played Christmas music at the start of the last day of school before the holiday vacation.

The band performed all types of Christmas music and wrapped up the 30-minute performance with "The Grinch" and "Charlie Brown's Christmas."

They have performed at the Courtyard and other locations around town and Thursday night's basketball games.