Durham: New cost for Tualatin cops no good

Cities work to renegotiate contract before end of June

By Ed Johnson

The Times, Feb 4, 2010 (1 Reader comment)

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A dispute over how much Durham should pay Tualatin for police services has led the cities to start negotiating a new contract. Right now, however, both parties say there’s no obvious solution.

Durham paid $44,000 last year for police services from Tualatin. This was a continuing practice from a deal negotiated more than 20 years ago, when a base-rate was set, then increased yearly for inflation.

But Tualatin leaders say that because Durham accounted for 5 percent of the department’s calls, the city of 1,400 should pay closer to 5 percent of the police budget, which would be about $280,000.

“We’re not covering our costs by a long shot,” said Tualatin City Manager Sherilyn Lombos. “The $44,000 doesn’t even cover a half-time officer.”

Durham’s city manager Roland Signett said anything close to $280,000 just won’t work for his city, and if need be, it will find police services elsewhere, or even go without. He said the current offer on the table with Tualatin was $218,000 a year to provide services.

“Basically, what they are asking would wipe out our general fund,” Signett said. “Paying that much would require a vote of the people. It would mean an additional tax of $1.50 per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for it.”

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