Adams County committee raises sheriff fee schedule, approves agenda amendment

The Adams County Public Safety and Judiciary Committee voted to raise several fees used by the sheriff's office and approved an amendment to the meeting agenda during its most recent meeting.

Committee members approved increases to three sheriff-related line items in the county fee schedule: transport deputy from $25 to $30 per hour, full-time deputy from $55 to $60 per hour, and holiday security detail from $100 to $110 per hour. The committee approved the fee schedule by a 3–1 vote.

Committee leadership moved two agenda items (items 8f and 9g) so the sheriff could address them earlier; that amendment and the overall agenda with the amendment passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: the fee schedule sets the rates other agencies, contractors and private entities pay when they request sheriff deputies for transport or security details, and the holiday rate in part reflects higher overtime pay for deputies working statutory holidays.

County staff described the rationale for the specific increases as tied to personnel pay under current contracts and historical averages. Kyle, the county finance manager, said the holiday rate incorporates the deputies’ contractual holiday pay (time-and-a-half or higher) and that staff used a multi-year weighted average of pay when calculating rates. Kyle said the fees are used in outside contracts and referenced the Quincy contract as one example of an agreement that references the county fee schedule.

Sheriff’s office uses and accounting: county staff said the rate hikes are primarily intended to align the fees with actual personnel costs charged for transport, full-time deputy detail and holiday detail. Committee discussion included questions about how the holiday rate is calculated; staff answered that it reflects contracted holiday pay and payroll practices.

Vote at a glance: the motion to accept the fee schedule (covering the district attorney, clerk, child support, emergency management, sheriff’s office, medical examiner and related entries) was moved by Mister Baker and seconded by Mister Bullroon and passed 3 yes, 1 no. The meeting record shows the agenda amendment to move items 8f and 9g beneath the fee schedule passed by voice vote; the amended agenda was then approved by voice vote.

Committee members asked follow-up questions about how the fee schedule interacts with contracts and whether the increases will be returned for additional review; staff said the schedule will be used by contract managers and that some medical examiner fees may need further legal review before future changes.

The committee set the next meeting for October 8 at 9:00 a.m. and adjourned at 9:50 a.m.