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Cache County sheriff briefs Clarkston council on law-enforcement contract, animal-control shelter and proposed rate hike
Summary
Sheriff Chad Jensen told the Clarkston Town Council that calls for service in Clarkston are steady, animal-related calls have increased, the county shelter shows high reclaim and adoption rates, and he proposed raising the hourly contract rate from $52.35 to $56 — a $676 increase for Clarkston under the town's current hours allocation.
Cache County Sheriff Chad Jensen told the Clarkston Town Council on May 1 that the county is proposing a modest increase in the hourly rate for municipal law-enforcement contracts while reporting stable overall call volumes for the town and improved outcomes at the county animal shelter.
Jensen said Clarkston logged 126 calls for service last year and that through the first nine months of the current year the town had 98 calls; extrapolated, that would put the year near 130 calls if current trends continue. He told the council the town contracts for 161 patrol hours but that deputies have logged roughly double that in practice — about 323 hours last year — and the sheriff's office expects similar totals this year.
The sheriff outlined changes affecting the shelter and animal-control work. He said the county-led shelter has taken in about 5,500 animals since opening, that about 92 percent of animals brought to the facility are reclaimed by owners and that the county has a high adoption rate for animals not reclaimed. Jensen said only five dogs had been euthanized since opening, three for severe injuries sustained in crashes and the remainder for aggressive behavior judged unsafe to rehome.
Jensen also described a trap-neuter-release program the county offers, saying the direct veterinary cost to the shelter is about $16 per cat for spay/neuter. He offered the county's traps and TNR service to any municipality that wants to implement a humane approach to community-cat populations.
On the proposed contract change, Jensen said he plans an addendum this year and is proposing an increase in the sheriff's hourly billing rate from $52.35 to $56. He said that change would translate to roughly a $676 increase for Clarkston on the basis of the town's current contracted hours. Jensen told the council that while the county recently approved a sales-tax increase intended in part for public safety, the sheriff's office must set its budget based on its internal cost pressures, particularly wage increases it has funded over recent years to remain competitive in local recruiting.
Jensen said he submits a needs-based budget to Cache County and that the county's final funding decision determines what portion of his request is satisfied. He told council members he is willing to discuss a three-year contract cycle and to work with the town on timing so any change aligns with local budget schedules.
He also offered other services from the sheriff's office: the county can supply people ordered to perform community service for civic projects (for example park cleanup or cemetery work) and the sheriff's office will coordinate to ensure the individuals get credit for their hours.
The council asked clarifying questions about the county sales-tax revenue and how it might affect sheriff funding. Jensen said he had not yet discussed specific amounts with the county budget office and could not represent what the county's final allocation would be; he said his proposal reflects operational costs and recent wage increases the sheriff's office has absorbed.
