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Prosecutor and sheriff press county for pay, staff and equipment increases ahead of budget decisions
Summary
Fayette County's prosecuting attorney and sheriff presented budgets stressing pay increases to retain attorneys and deputies, and requested funding for training, vehicles, a firearms range and other equipment; commissioners said they will weigh those requests as part of the budget cycle and noted PEIA premium increases.
Fayette County's prosecuting attorney and the sheriff presented separate budget requests during the Feb. 19 commission meeting that emphasized staffing shortages, retention challenges and equipment needs ahead of the county's upcoming budget decisions.
The county prosecutor (presenting as the officeholder) said the office has lost five attorneys since he took office about four years ago and that several departures were prompted by higher salaries elsewhere. He asked the commission to consider pay increases for assistant prosecutors and key support staff, arguing higher compensation could reduce turnover and lower long'term training costs. He also requested funding for a summer intern (about $9,000 was previously approved but unspent because of timing), modest overtime increases for support staff, and other line items to maintain office operations. "I believe the attorneys in my office and I believe the support staff ... deserve an increase in pay," the prosecutor said, describing recent departures and the recruitment challenges his office faces.
The sheriff outlined a broad budget 'wish list' that included increases to overtime, training (requested to rise from roughly $10,000 to $20,000), portable radio replacement (about $30,000 for several units), firearms training and ammunition (sizable recurring cost), SRT unit equipment and a specialized vehicle, and replacement patrol vehicles (the sheriff requested six Durango SUVs and one Explorer: an estimated total of roughly $431,000 for outfitted vehicles). The sheriff said the county's retention problem is acute: agencies with higher pay and larger jurisdictions are actively recruiting Fayette deputies. He urged investment in training and an indoor/outdoor firearms range design but also noted substantial environmental and design requirements.
Both presenters said the state PEIA health insurance increase (cited in the meeting as about 16%) complicates compensation planning. Commissioners said they understand the staffing and safety rationales and that the county typically starts with a minimal operating budget and then considers additional items. They asked budget staff to review the requests and report back during the formal budget process.
Neither the prosecutor nor the sheriff asked for immediate, commission'level approvals during the presentation; county leaders said budget lines and available revenue would determine how much of the requests could be funded.
