Should Franklin County go its own way to address mental health? Fed up sheriff says so

Jan. 5—Sheriff Jim Raymond is suggesting Franklin County go its own way on providing mental health services and cut ties with Benton County on a shared recovery center.

This week Raymond characterized Franklin County's partnership with its neighbor as "subservient," saying in broad terms they "bow to the desires of their fellow commissioners across the river" and have been pushed "into the nosebleed section."

He posted the letter on his Facebook page Tuesday saying Franklin County should "imagine and realize our own Franklin County Health Department, Recovery Center, Social Detox, and other facilities to address health issue challenges," despite the out-sized costs.

On Wednesday, Benton County released a public statement rebuking Raymond's social media post.

"If the board of Franklin County Commissioners and other elected officials wish to formally separate operations from Benton County, those discussions can be facilitated and we will not object to them," the statement read.

"At the end of the day, we want to ensure all people in our community are offered high-quality services, no matter who is providing them," said the statement.

But other Franklin County officials told the Herald on Wednesday they value their relationship with their neighboring county and plan to stay the course on the project.

Recovery center

Raymond's disagreement appears focused on facility decisions that Benton County has made to develop the Benton County Behavioral Health and Recovery Center.

The two counties plan to open a "no wrong door" facility in downtown Kennewick, and roll out services — treatment assessment, medical withdrawal treatment detox, residential inpatient treatment, recovery housing, job training assistance and youth services — in the coming years.

A 0.1% sales tax increase in both Benton and Franklin counties will fund the center's operations.

Raymond's letter listed actions and positions his county commissioners should take to gain more independence.

"A partnership is described as a formal arrangement by two or more parties to manage and operate a business and share its profits or failures," he wrote. "The Benton and Franklin County partnership does not fit this description by any stretch of the imagination."

Recovery center costs

But Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier told the Herald on Wednesday that while he shares the sheriff's frustration with not being included in the recovery center work, Raymond's pleas for an independent Franklin County center are not financially feasible.

"I am hopeful that we can keep government limited and small," said Didier, who currently chairs the county commission. "In order to do so, we have to work with the other county, but that means we have to be included in the decisions and be consulted with, because otherwise it's just going to be a burden for all the taxpayers in both counties — it's going to cost more money."

Didier said, in particular, they would have liked to be included in discussions to lease part of the old Welch's juice facility in Kennewick. It's to used as the intake area but he believes the cost to get the old facility up and running is too much.

"They are moving — they are doing things — and we are not being consulted. Where are we at in this mix?" Didier questioned.

Benton County Commission Chairman Jerome Delvin declined Wednesday to discuss the issue and referred to the public statement.

Other interlocal services

Benton and Franklin counties have a longstanding history of inter-governmental cooperation for providing services to Tri-City residents.

Benton is larger and usually administers programs, such as human services, and then bills Franklin County for its share using multiple interlocal agreements.

Franklin County Auditor Matt Beaton said bi-county operations are efficient, small government at its best.

He pointed out how the 2015 dissolution of a bi-county Office of Public Defense for indigent suspects resulted in higher costs for both counties.

Interim County Administrator Duane Davidson said Franklin County doesn't have enough resources by itself to operate the level of services they currently offer residents.

Davidson said he sees the benefits from both sides, having also previously served as Benton County's elected treasurer for 13 years.

Hired as a temporary county leader in October, Davidson said it's unclear how much inter-county communication previously took place on the topic of the Behavioral Health and Recovery Center.

"I think there's going to be ample time to get things resolved between our two counties," he said.

Continuing concerns

This isn't the first time Raymond has chimed in with dissatisfaction about the recovery center planning.

At the July 5Franklin County Commission meeting, Raymond interrupted a presentation Delvin was giving about the imminent purchase of the former Kennewick General Hospital building.

Raymond said Benton County had taken complete control of the project, and suggested Franklin County sever ties with Benton County.

Devlin said agreements already had been made between the counties that Benton County woud buy the building, and they would also carry the entirety of the burden to create the facilities necessary to house the programs.

"If we can't get this together, then God help the whole Tri-Cities," Delvin said then.

"This isn't about 'Benton County leading the charge' — we have the resources. And I'm willing to commit those resources on behalf of Benton County taxpayers to make this thing happen."

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