GOLDENDALE — Klickitat commissioners listened to a presentation by Flock Safety representatives, heard comments from Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP) regarding houselessness, and discussed the unintended loss of up to $1 million in revenue for the 2024 Budget during the Oct. 24 Board of County Commissioners’ meeting.
The commissioners also approved eight motions, including the adoption of the Six Year Road Transportation Program for the years 2024-2029, establishing a pilot program for the collection of hard-to-recycle materials, and the setting of a public hearing to consider a supplemental budget for the 2023 Annual Budget.
Fiscal Services Manager Jennifer Neil informed the commissioners of a $900,000 to $1 million revenue shortage and proposed offsetting the loss with $423,000 in unexpected landfill funds, $346,000 in unanticipated local and tribal consistency fund revenues, and a cancellation of the $150,000 county commissioners project fund.
Neil also requested the board allow her to immediately meet with county departments and offices to discuss efficiencies and the challenges they face.
“Not only will this assist with our future revenue shortfalls and strategic planning, but it will be useful to the Finance Steering Committee,” Neil said.
Commissioner Lori Zoller expressed thanks that the finance team was able to find the loss in revenue as well as potential extra funds.
Chairman Dan Christopher opposed the proposed revenue replacement due to its reduction in funds for county parks.
“I have a feeling you will get your consensus, but I am adamantly opposed. I believe this should have been done in whole with the budget as it stands. I believe that park fund benefits far more county citizens than some of the spending that this board has done in that budget,” Christopher said.
Commissioner Jacob Anderson supported the proposal with a pledge to replace the park funds if additional funding became available.
“I trust my finance team and where you are looking to make this work,” Anderson said. “I would commit to agreeing to what you proposed, noting that if we do get increased funds that the first thing I would like to see is a supplemental that puts back that money for parks.”
Neil noted that she was looking for areas to draw money from, that had minimal impacts on the community.
“It was my goal to look for an expense that wouldn’t affect people and change people’s lives,” Neil said.
WAGAP responds
Executive Director of WAGAP Leslie Naramore spoke during the public comment section in response to previous comments made by officials and commissioners regarding houselessness in Goldendale.
Naramore asked that a workshop be scheduled between commissioners, Goldendale officials, WAGAP and Washington Department of Social Health and Services (DSHS). She further explained WAGAP’s mission and services.
“WAGAP is a human services organization dedicated to helping individuals, families and communities address basic human needs. This includes providing emergency shelter to those who find themselves houseless for any reason,” Naramore said. “Permanent housing is always the end goal.”
She said tents and sleeping bags are provided when shelter and other options are unavailable — and only 10 have been handed out in Goldendale in the past year. She also clarified WAGAP’s transportation services.
“WAGAP does not bus people into Goldendale or anywhere else,” Naramore said. “We do provide clients with a GOrge Pass to help them have mobility and access to communities. This essential service provides people with the opportunity to access education, employment opportunities, groceries, medical appointments, social service appointments, and more.”
Naramore said that the White Salmon DSHS office closed, which could explain the perceived increase in people seeking services at the Goldendale DSHS office.
All three commissioners responded by expressing their support for WAGAP.
“What I said was not an attack on WAGAP. It was explaining to the public where the funding comes from,” Christopher said. “This county might be willing to fund more projects for you. I would encourage [us] to schedule time with the board to reach into that.”
Flock cameras
Undersheriff Carmen Knopes joined Flock Safety representatives to present on the benefits of their cameras and technology for license plate and vehicle recognition. In short, the technology notifies designated officials when wanted vehicles are detected by the cameras.
Knopes explained that the cameras could assist the police department, especially since the number of available deputies is limited. Flock Safety representatives stated that these are not facial recognition cameras, photos are deleted after 30 days, and that sharing the photos would require county approval.
Flock cameras do not capture video images, but still images of vehicles that pass through the camera, Knopes said in a follow up email to Columbia Gorge News last month. They are also not used for traffic enforcement, and there is no facial recognition abilities.
Christopher and Anderson wanted concrete data showcasing the system’s benefit to police departments in citations, arrests and crime reduction before committing to the county’s utilization of the technology.
Christopher also relayed public concern over the possibility of federal organizations hacking into the Flock Safety data.
Flock Safety Territory Sales Manager Mike Gibbins said a data breach was unlikely but not impossible. Another representative explained that the data is encrypted “end to end.”
“Even a company like Flock with 60,000 cameras, none of the agencies we work with being federal. We don’t work with immigration enforcement. We are not impervious. I think it’s irresponsible to say we are iron-clad,” Gibbins said.
Gibbins added that a data breach has not happened — and that the value of Flock is not the immense quantity of images, but the “machine learning entity that goes through the images.”
A potential pilot program would test Flock Safety’s benefit to the county and local police agencies. About five or six cameras would be deployed for the pilot program, with Flock Safety covering costs for the test run.
After the pilot program — if the county decided to move forward with the Flock Safety — each camera would cost $3,000 per year. There could be around 30 cameras, representatives said.
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