County finance and sheriff’s office staff presented a consolidated overview of sheriff-related budgets that they said total roughly $21 million across multiple funds. The presentation covered personnel, overtime trends, reimbursable contracts, cost-allocation increases (janitorial/facilities, IT and motor pool), several special funds (K-9, Bearcat, boat safety) and a new proposed sheriff equipment and technology fund.

Katrina Harris, finance and budget manager, said the sheriff’s office and associated budgets amount to about $21 million in 2026 when the civil service, extradition, crime reduction, boat safety, benefit administration (retiree obligations), K-9, Bearcat, range, and law-enforcement records funds are considered together. Harris outlined several specific pressures: an increase in motor pool cost allocations ($76,000 in 2026 rising to $109,000 in 2027), an IT allocation increase (about $13,300 in 2026 and $64,806 in 2027 in the county’s modeling), and rising software maintenance and subscription costs that together were budgeted at roughly $20,000 per year. Harris said professional services include a contract with Northwest Security that may face a tax increase tied to ESSB 5814 (state sales tax on certain services); staff are awaiting contract terms.

Sheriff’s office presenters and Chief Deputy Troy Brightbill described overtime drivers: grant-reimbursable overtime for contracted patrols (Weyerhaeuser and Pacific Corp) offsets some costs — Harris and the sheriff’s office clarified that an estimate of the large overtime line includes about $215,000 associated with Weyerhaeuser and other reimbursable overtime, and that a portion is billed back to private firms or other agencies. Brightbill, and Chief Spencer as a second operations speaker, described unpredictable overtime needs tied to critical incidents, minimum staffing to maintain public safety, extended investigations (homicides), and coverage when deputies are absent for leave or training.

The sheriff’s office also outlined targeted funds: the K-9 fund (donations plus an annual transfer) to cover training and veterinary costs; a Bearcat capital-and-maintenance fund shared with nearby cities; a law-enforcement records fund with interlocal partners that carries an ending fund balance and absorbs cost-allocation changes for facilities and IT; and a proposed sheriff equipment and technology fund that would consolidate previous IT reserves, mobile data terminal funding and radio replacement moneys. Katrina Harris said the new equipment fund would receive transfers (about $330,000 each year in the proposal) and be used to plan and replace body cameras, vehicle cameras, radios, forensic computers and similar items.

On staffing, presenters said collective bargaining negotiations (deputy union contract) have not settled for 2026–27 and the county used 2025 wage levels for budgeting; the budget includes step increases but not a negotiated 2026–27 contract adjustment. The sheriff’s office said staffing and training lead times mean the county cannot quickly hire the number of deputies that would be required to eliminate overtime entirely; presenters said years-long recruitment and training timelines and contractually defined schedules affect overtime costs.

Ending: Commissioners received the consolidated presentation and asked staff to provide more detail where requested (including breakdowns of overtime by reimbursable contract and year-to-year actuals), and staff said they would provide follow-up materials and bring the equipment/technology fund proposal to the budget amendment meeting.