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Del Norte supervisors review sheriff and jail budgets as vacancies fall and Measure R requests rise
Summary
Board of Supervisors heard sheriff’s presentation of patrol, dispatch and jail staffing and budget requests including a proposed drug‑task‑force sergeant, Measure R vehicle purchases and boating‑safety equipment; supervisors pressed on vacancy reductions, dispatch shortages and one‑time Measure R items.
The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors continued its special‑session budget workshop with the sheriff’s presentation of the sheriff’s office general fund and jail budgets, staffing levels and requests for Measure R funds.
Sheriff’s staff reported 30 funded positions in the main sheriff budget unit (02:31), with three frozen and one employee on FMLA; patrol and dispatch showed the largest shortfalls. Patrol staffing was presented as two captains, four sergeants and 10 deputies, with two vacancies; the dispatch unit was reported as seven positions with five vacancies (about a 71% vacancy rate). The jail budget (02:43 unit) showed 34 funded positions with one frozen position and one vacancy in the correctional safety staff (roughly 5.6% vacancy). Presenters said recent salary adjustments contributed to reduced vacancy rates compared with the prior year.
Board members pressed the sheriff on retention and recruitment, citing the hard nature of these jobs and asking whether salary increases and improved morale were driving the drop in vacancies. County staff explained that salary adjustments, leadership and morale improvements were the three main drivers of recent improvements.
The sheriff asked the board to consider a new sergeant position to restore an investigations/special‑enforcement supervisor for a proposed drug task force; the salary and benefits for that position were estimated at about $180,000 annually and the sheriff said the request would be brought forward separately for board approval.
Supervisors also discussed boating and waterways operations. The sheriff said the county recently received a rescue boat through interjurisdictional help (Siskiyou County) and a full‑time deputy assigned to boating safety (Deputy Tyler Balch). He said federal or state equipment grant funding that historically covered motors and jet skis has tightened and that having a permanent deputy and local rescue statistics should improve future grant competitiveness. The sheriff noted about a $45,000 shortfall in boating/equipment funding relative to prior years’ expectations.
Measure R requests tied to the sheriff’s office were reviewed. The sheriff’s Measure R package included two vehicles (about $149,000 total including upfitting and radios), supplemental salaries and operating support. Board members asked for a breakdown of the $149,000 and suggested an analysis of an enterprise fleet program as a possible long‑term cost saver.
Supervisors acknowledged a recent increase in city dispatch funding to the county and asked why city payments were lower year to date; staff said payments track staffing levels and posted quarters and will catch up in accounting. The board also discussed transfer‑in amounts from Measure R and one‑time equipment requests for the jail that increased Measure R transfers compared with prior years.
The sheriff noted equipment and training requests for search and rescue; staff said some equipment and training costs will be covered by Title III grant drawdowns and other offsetting revenue. The sheriff said two vehicles requested for search and rescue would replace high‑mileage fleet assets.
The board left the discussion with staff asked to return with more detailed line‑item backup for Measure R vehicle and program requests and with direction for administration to analyze fleet alternatives and to continue working on grant support for boating safety.
