GRANGEVILLE - A Kamiah towing business operator is threatening to file a tort claim against Idaho County for what he says are unfair practices in the sheriff's office over dispatching towing services.
Terry Jackson, owner of Jackson's Wrecker Service, said he worked out a settlement with Idaho County commissioners in 1992 regarding an equitable system of assigning tow trucks to accident scenes. But over the past 10 years, Jackson said, the Idaho County Sheriff's Office has failed to abide by this earlier agreement. Jackson told commissioners Monday when he asked sheriff's dispatchers about it they provided him no answers.
"It's getting so bad that it's just ridiculous," Jackson said during the commissioners' weekly business meeting. "The tort claim is the only way out that I can see."
John Nida, chief deputy of the department, said he could not comment on a potential tort claim and lawsuit. Nida explained, however, when an accident occurs in Idaho County the owner of the vehicle involved is asked by the investigating officer whether there is a preference for which towing service is called.
If there is none, Nida said, dispatchers at the sheriff's office are asked to contact whichever service is at the top of the rotation list. There are about five such services in the county.
The commissioners said they need to see documentation about which towing services have been called to recent accidents before intervening in the matter. Jackson said he would provide that.
"The county needs to take a good look at what's going on," Jackson said. "I think the commissioners have a bunch of blinders on."
In other business:
l The commissioners met with Jim Crowley and Nadine McDonald of the Department of Juvenile Corrections to discuss how juvenile offenders are handled in the county. Crowley said 95 percent of juvenile cases are handled by the counties without having to move into the state system and he is satisfied with the work being done in Idaho County.
About 17,000 juveniles are arrested each year on various crimes and there are 400 beds in separate units throughout the state for them to be housed. About 48 percent of the juvenile offenders are diagnosed with mental health disorders and about 60 percent have substance abuse issues.
"It's better to treat this at the county level," Crowley said. McDonald added that there is a critical need for more foster families because many of the youngsters involved in the juvenile corrections system have parents who are involved in the adult corrections system or have other family problems.
l The commissioners discussed posting some of the county ordinances on the county's Web site, but disagreed over whether the county's subdivision ordinance should be there. Commissioner Jim Rehder, who favors Web site posting, said he wants the public to have access to the county ordinances so people can understand what the county expects. But Commission Chairman Randy Doman said, while he does not object to public access to county information on the Web site, the subdivision ordinance is too complex to post there because it needs to be monitored and updated. Doman said the county does not have the manpower to oversee that project. Clerk Rose Gehring said the county currently charges $5 for copies of the ordinances and posting it on the Web site would take away that revenue. And the demand for such documents is high. "We're giving out the subdivision ordinances almost like M&Ms," Gehring said.
l The commissioners commented on the bright pink tie worn Monday by Jerry Zumalt, the county's emergency services coordinator, and said it matched Gehring's bright pink jacket. "We color coordinate," Zumalt said. "We talk."
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Hedberg may be contacted at khedberg@camasnet.com or (208) 983-2326.
