Special Commission on Correctional Funding Minutes
Monday, January 24, at 10 AM
Wednesday, January 26, at 10 AM
(virtual meeting)
Commissioners Present:
- Chair Day
- Chair Brownsberger
- Commissioner Widmer
- Commissioner Forman
- Commissioner Whelan
- Commissioner Joy
- Commissioner Preston
- Commissioner Cowdell
- Commissioner Coppinger
- Commissioner Hodgson
- Commissioner Morton
- Commissioner Dolan
- Commissioner Keefe
- Commissioner Avitzur
- Commissioner Horgan
- Commissioner Ashe
Commissioners Absent:
- Commissioner Fattman
- Commissioner Crowley
- Commissioner Spina
Chair Day gave introductory remarks and reviewed the agenda for the meeting. Roll was taken and approved by present members.
Chair Day entertained a motion to approve minutes from the January 13, 2022, meeting. No edits were made. Commissioner Widmer moved and Chair Brownsburger seconded. Roll taken, with the present member approving said minutes.
The Commission reviewed the public posting of asset inventories for approval. Chair Day entertained a motion to approve said public posting of asset inventories. Chair Brownsberger moved and Commissioner Widmer seconded. Roll was taken, with present members approving the motion.
The Commission opened discussion to the draft report.
Commissioner Coppinger proposed further review by commissioners to ensure full clarification and understanding by all leadership. Commissioner Coppinger further proposed to reconvene on Wednesday and discuss before the report is posted publicly.
Concerns about extending the discussion through Wednesday and further delaying the public access to the report were raised with counterpoints about releasing the report to the public without final review by commissioners.
Chair Brownsberger made a motion to continue review the draft during the current meeting and publicly post the draft after further discussion on Wednesday, Commissioner Widmer seconded. A majority of the commissioners present supported the motion.
The Commission scheduled the next meeting for Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 10AM for continued discussion of the report.
The Commission began review of the draft of the report, which will consist of a presentation and written report of data collected and work products created from the past two years. Topics discussed included motivations for commission review, variations in data across counties, variations in costs across counties, staffing levels, and commission recommendations.
Chair Day opened the meeting for final comments and the Commission suspended the meeting until Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 10AM.
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The Commission resumed discussion of the initial draft report on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, at 10AM.
Chair Day recognized present members and continued discussion and edits on the presentation and report. Beginning topics discussed included cost-savings, reporting improvements, and program agency improvements. Further edits were noted and made to the report presentation to reflect discussion on these topics.
Discussion next centered on new inmate program agency recommendations and recommendations for improvement of uniformity, accountability and transparency for inmate programming.
The Commission scheduled the next meeting for Monday, January 31, 2022, at 11AM.
Chair Day entertained a motion to adjourn the meeting. Chair Widmer moved, Commissioner Ashe seconded. The meeting ended.
The Commission will next meet on Monday, January 31, 2022, at 11AM.