Sheriff’s office: commissioners approve five part‑time headcount, pay‑band shift and donated‑fund mounted patrol sub‑department
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Summary
After extended discussion about recruitment, overtime and frozen positions, the board approved adding five part‑time headcount, adjusted the sworn pay structure to create room at top of commander band, and authorized a donor/grant fund and budget supplement to establish a mounted‑patrol program.
The Garfield County Board of County Commissioners approved several sheriff’s office items at its June 23 meeting intended to reduce overtime stress on deputies and support recruiting.
The board approved adding five part‑time headcount to the sheriff’s roster. County staff and the sheriff said the positions are intended as part‑time placeholders for using trained former deputies and interns as vacation and short‑term backfill; funding was described as available from vacancy savings. Sheriff Lou Valerio and finance staff said the change is meant to free blocked full‑time slots now held by part‑time billets so the department can hire full‑time deputies when needed.
Separately the board approved a change to the sworn pay structure for commander‑level positions that commissioners said will create “wiggle room” at the top of pay bands to accommodate future merit or cost‑of‑living increases. The motion passed 2–1. Commissioners and staff discussed that the adjustment was built into 2025 budgeted dollars but that the county faces a projected revenue shortfall in 2026 that may compel future tradeoffs.
The board also authorized a budget supplement and establishment of a sheriff mounted‑patrol sub‑department to accept donations and grants to fund a volunteer/leased‑horse program. County and sheriff staff said the program will rely on donations, grants and fundraising; the sheriff said the office would not use general fund taxpayer dollars to operate the program and that proposals include leased horses or community volunteers providing horses. Initial donations reported during the meeting totaled roughly $11,000 and a pending grant application of about $60,000 was cited.
Speakers emphasized limits on authority: commissioners required that any conversion of part‑time positions to full‑time be returned to the board for approval and cautioned about continued 2026 budget risk.
Ending: Finance and the sheriff’s office will implement headcount and sub‑department accounting changes and return to the board as required for any future requests to convert or add full‑time positions.