Curry County workshop exposes split over sheriffs staffing plan, supervision and animal control

Curry County commissioners and the sheriff clashed over a proposed fiscal-year budget and organizational chart during a workshop that centered on supervision, patrol staffing and who should manage animal control.

The workshop, convened to follow up on the county budget process, produced agreement on some requests but highlighted sharp disagreement over the removal of supervisory titles and how quickly newly budgeted patrol positions could be hired and made operational.

The dispute matters because commissioners said the proposed chart would increase the number of deputies on paper but reduce direct supervision, a change the sheriff and staff warned could reduce effective field coverage and trigger union grievances. The exchange also raised questions about spending lines for marine patrol, overtime and how quickly hires could be trained and put on the road.

The sheriff told commissioners the job descriptions circulated with the proposed budget contain errors and said some positions must be sworn and certified if they are to perform civil-process and patrol functions. On animal control, the sheriff said plainly, "I wasn't interested, and I'm not interested in it," and asked that civil-process and animal-control duties be handled where there is supervision and appropriate certification.

County staff and command officers outlined the countys proposed staffing: two lieutenants and two sergeants in supervisory slots and five patrol deputy positions budgeted for the coming year, plus specialized posts (marine, forest, community-service/animal-control positions and a proposed CRO). Command staff and the sheriff said they could accept some of the proposed positions but that eliminating the two existing supervisory roles would leave the sheriffs office with insufficient direct supervision.

Command staff and union representatives flagged two immediate constraints. First, the bargaining unit for sergeants covers supervision and changes to supervisory assignments would require bargaining; the sheriff said he had been contacted by an FOP representative about bargaining over supervision. Second, moving lieutenants or sergeants back to nonexempt patrol status could increase long-term payroll costs because salary, overtime and leave payouts differ between exempt and nonexempt classifications.

Staff also reviewed specific budget lines. For marine patrol the proposed revenue listed U.S. Marine Board boat-safety and related funds totaling $128,821; personnel services were listed at $76,940 with materials and services about $46,436, for a total requirement of roughly $123,376 on that program and a small net balance in the draft. Commissioners and command staff said that the marine line and other allocations will likely require adjustment in a first supplemental budget when more accurate personnel costs are known.

Officials discussed hiring and training timelines that constrain when additional deputies could actually increase field coverage. Staff cited the state training calendar (DPSST) and routine background and psychological-screening steps: even if positions are authorized July 1, new hires may not complete academy and field training until months later. One command officer noted the next DPSST academy dates currently push potential full patrol fielding into late 2025 or 2026 for recruits who must attend state training.

Jail capacity and corrections staffing were also a significant topic. Speakers described the current secured bed capacity as roughly 15to16 beds after past reductions and facility work; they said the county has not enacted early releases for staffing reasons but does use a risk/length-of-stay matrix to prioritize who remains in custody when space is tight. Command staff said the jail currently operates to minimum staffing levels and has used temporary or supervisory coverage when necessary.

Dispatch and corrections staffing and certification requirements drew repeated attention. Command staff said some dispatch and jail roles are hard to backfill because they require lengthy, position-specific training to certify a person for that work. The sheriff and command staff asked for a clear accounting of call-outs and overtime so the commissioners could compare the fiscal effect of retaining supervisors in exempt roles versus converting them to patrol deputies.

Union and benefits issues emerged late in the discussion. Commissioners and staff said they had learned the previous day about potential insurance-plan changes affecting employees and that they would follow up to ensure continuous coverage or appropriate COBRA notices. A grievance was reported as having been filed by a sergeant or the bargaining unit; parties agreed to follow up.

Board members asked the sheriffs office for specific numbers to quantify the cost and operational effect of proposed changes: recent overtime and call-out hours for supervisors (one sergeant had about 36 hours of overtime over six months), the cost differential if a lieutenant were treated as a nonexempt patrol deputy, and a call-out log to measure how often supervisors are asked to approve call-outs. The sheriffs office agreed to produce those figures and other clarifications (certification requirements, which positions must be sworn, and a list of budget line errors) for a follow-up meeting.

The board and sheriff scheduled a follow-up workshop to review the numbers and possible supplemental adjustments. The group agreed to reconvene on Tuesday the 24th at 11:00 to consider proposals and, if needed, a supplemental budget before July 1 so the county can "be open for business" while preserving flexibility to adjust personnel funding.

Next steps recorded at the workshop included county staff compiling: (1) overtime/call-out accounting for lieutenant and sergeant positions; (2) a breakdown of marine program revenues and actual personnel costs; (3) legal/administrative constraints tied to supervision and bargaining-unit obligations; and (4) a transitional staffing plan showing how and when newly budgeted deputy positions could be recruited, certified and field-deployed. Commissioners said the budget as proposed could be adopted on schedule but that they expected speedy supplemental adjustments once the sheriffs office provides the requested numbers.