Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Whitman County commissioners expressed approval Monday for a new criminal justice services agreement with the City of Pullman.
Commissioner Art Swannack met with Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson and City Administrator Adam Lincoln to work out the terms of a $450,000 payment from Pullman to the county for one year. The district court will remain in Pullman’s city hall for 2020.
After the first year, the two sides will have to work out another agreement for the coming years.
The contract is now being reviewed by the City of Pullman and will then be sent to Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy.
Pullman has no municipal court.
The city is in the process of moving into a new city hall located in the former Encounter Ministries property, which it purchased.
The Pullman district court, presided over by Judge John Hart, handles Pullman cases of misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors and city code violations.
County commissioners Michael Largent and Dean Kinzer spoke in support of the agreement.
Pullman previously paid $347,000 per year for the county to provide services, while the actual cost to the county last year totaled $488,000. The figures do not include cost of courtroom rent.
Costs that add up to the $488,000 include staff salaries, license fees, training materials and other items.
The new agreement will take effect Jan. 1, 2020.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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