County staff presented an updated 2025 budget schedule and recommended staffing changes Oct. 30, then the sheriff’s office described patrol staffing and operational priorities.

Budget staff said about 15 positions were recommended from roughly 35 requests after examining reorganization opportunities and offsetting revenues; several positions carry partial external funding (for example, school resource officers cost‑share with school districts). The presentation also identified a proposed code‑enforcement officer dedicated to short‑term rental enforcement; staff noted any added enforcement position would have a corresponding fee change under the fee schedule.

Councilmembers raised a separate question about Department of Labor changes to exempt/"highly compensated" thresholds and whether budget assumptions account for new hires that would be affected. County staff replied the rule generally applies to new hires and that existing exempt employees are grandfathered; finance staff and legal counsel said they had performed a review and would continue to refine salary and benefit estimates.

The sheriff’s presentation described a patrol model largely unchanged since 2002 despite a dramatic increase in call volume (staff cited a multi‑hundred‑percent increase in total calls since that time). The sheriff listed implemented internal efficiencies—quartermaster inventory control, consolidation of camera systems, cross‑agency task forces and an investigations analyst position—to reduce overtime and better use technology. Still, the sheriff said more patrol capacity is needed to avoid chronic overtime and to meet public‑safety expectations, particularly for large events and more sophisticated criminal activity.