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Sheriff asks council for four correctional officers as transports and court work rise
Summary
Sheriff Wayne Birch asked the Johnson County Council for funding to add four correctional officers, citing higher transport numbers and court workloads; council discussed funding from the jail LIT but did not finalize budget action.
Johnson County Sheriff Wayne Birch asked the County Council on April 14 for funding to hire four additional correctional officers, citing rising inmate transports and expanded court responsibilities that have increased workload for transport and jail staff.
Birch told the council that transports handled by the sheriff’s office rose from 2,782 in 2021 to 4,368 in 2024, and that transports so far in 2025 numbered 447. He said the increases include out-of-state trips for high-profile cases and more hospital escorts, which in some cases require two officers per trip. Birch said the jail’s average population this year has been about 354 inmates and that transport and courthouse-security duties require maintaining minimum staffing levels in the jail.
Council members asked about vacancies and pay implications. Birch said open positions fluctuate, that staffing losses occur when officers take other jobs, and that recruitment and retention remain challenges. He also discussed facility maintenance needs he addresses through commissary funds rather than recurring appropriations.
Council members and county financial staff discussed the Local Income Tax (LIT) revenue stream that currently funds corrections and corrections-related facilities. Jeff Peters, financial advisor to the county, told the council that LIT receipts for correctional facilities are expected to continue through 2026 and 2027 under the current statutory structure but that later phases of enacted state law could convert some revenue streams to general-purpose receipts in 2028.
After discussion about state legislation and county revenues, a motion to approve the sheriff’s request was made and seconded; the council took a roll call vote. The meeting transcript records at least two ayes (Jonathan Myers and Jamie Simbert) during roll call; a full numerical tally was not captured in the public transcript excerpt. No budget appropriation was posted to the packet at the time of the meeting; county staff indicated LIT revenue in early 2025 was higher than early 2024 and that the county was close to paying off outstanding jail bond obligations.
Sheena Johnson, court administrator, and staff said the county’s judges supported the staffing request because transport and in-person-court duties are increasing. Council members expressed a desire to be cautious about new recurring salary obligations in light of pending state legislation (SB 1) that could affect property-tax and revenue flows, but several members said they would support justifiable requests for public safety staffing if funds are available.
The council did not finalize larger budget changes at the meeting; members directed staff to continue reviewing LIT cash flows and to provide more formal fiscal detail to the council in advance of final appropriations.
