Mayor Poirier provides update in ongoing dispute over jail services at CCRJC

Attachments

A copy of the first letter from Chelan County Prosecutor Robert Sealby to the City of Wenatchee from March shows the County’s intent to terminate services.

A copy of the interlocal agreement termination letter dated May 22 lays out the deadline for the City to remove inmates from CCRJC.

WENATCHEE — On July 22, Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier sent a message to residents of the City of Wenatchee regarding the ongoing dispute between the City and Chelan County over the terms of a contract that houses city arrestees in the Chelan County Regional Justice Center (CCRJC). Poirier reiterated that the City’s position is only to secure a fair agreement, and that the lawsuit filed against the County was not punitive, but an effort to maintain a level of service that would keep the City safe in a reasonable way.

In March, Poirier shared the background and initial steps regarding this issue. On March 31, the City filed a lawsuit against Chelan County concerning the agreement, which the City felt was unreasonable. By the end of that day, the City received a letter from Chelan County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Sealby. He had withdrawn all previous offers and declared them "off the table."

Adding to the seriousness of the issue, Sealby also said the City would be required to remove its inmates from CCRJC by August 28 of this year. Still another letter from Mr. Sealby on May 22 repeated the County’s intent to end the agreement and terminate jail services for the City of Wenatchee on August 28.  Both letters are included with this update. 

A copy of the first letter from Chelan County Prosecutor Robert Sealby to the City of Wenatchee from March shows the County’s intent to terminate services.

A copy of the interlocal agreement termination letter dated May 22 lays out the deadline for the City to remove inmates from CCRJC.

The County’s decision to stop collaborating with the City and effectively end their concern for community protection was troubling to Poirier and the City. The CCRJC was built with the intention of serving the entire region, the most natural first consideration of which is Wenatchee, the largest city in the region and a founding partner.

Poirier maintains that the County’s position undermines the vision of collaborative justice in the region and threatens public safety, as well as disrupting law enforcement operations, and would upend the longstanding approach to criminal justice that citizens have come to know and embrace.

In response to the letters from Sealby, the City filed a motion in court asking them to ensure that jail services would continue past the August 28 deadline. On July 15, after a hearing, the Court sided with the City, ruling that the County has an obligation to continue providing jail services to Wenatchee, and that the County cannot unilaterally cut off access and must continue to work through the arbitration process set by statute.

In spite of all the challenges from the County, the City is dedicated to achieving a just and productive resolution. Poirier said the City firmly advocates for regional cooperation and the notion that public safety transcends political considerations. He intends to provide continuous updates on any progress in resolving the issue fairly and in a way that keeps the community safe.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media