Budget committee approves Rural Law Enforcement, 4‑H and Road District budgets; Westport Sewer vote continued

Clatsop County budget committee members voted on May 7 to adopt proposed budgets and tax rates for three service districts and to continue consideration of the Westport Sewer District until May 14.

The committee approved the Rural Law Enforcement District (RLED) budget, including the staffing and program changes presented by county staff and the sheriff's office. The presentation noted a 7.9% increase in personnel services driven by a roughly 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment and higher health and retirement costs, plus the reallocation of a half‑time deputy from marine patrol to enforcement as a special detective. Materials and services were flagged for an approximately $92,000 increase, attributed in part to a records management system (RMS) subscription and higher dispatch costs tied to staffing and a new CAD system. Sheriff Reichel said the current dispatch/records system is “probably 25 years old without any major updates” and described benefits including better reporting, integrated evidence and civil modules, and mobile data access for fire and patrol staff.

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