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Sheriff tells supervisors hiring one deputy would only modestly reduce overtime
Summary
Sheriff said replacing a retiring employee would free some wages but adding a new deputy would likely cut overtime by only about 10%, and the county is housing prisoners in Hardin County; the sheriff also flagged an annual Taser subscription and vehicle/equipment replacement needs.
Franklin County’s sheriff briefed supervisors on staffing, jail housing and equipment needs during the budget workshop. He said one high‑paid employee will retire this year, providing some near‑term savings, but adding a new deputy would not fully pay for itself through reduced overtime.
On the cost of a new hire he estimated, "I estimate to be about 90 to 95,000 a year addition." He told commissioners that adding a deputy might reduce overtime by roughly 10 percent but would not eliminate overtime obligations. The sheriff said training and certification costs (he estimated roughly $2,500 per person for required modules) also make the net short‑term budget benefit smaller.
Sheriff staff reported the county was relying on a contract with Hardin County to house inmates (the sheriff said 100 percent of the county’s prisoners were being sent there at the time) and praised Hardin for providing transportation support at no extra charge. The sheriff said maintaining current levels of emergency and jail services will require balancing transfer decisions, vehicle replacement timing and possible additional staffing.
The sheriff also asked the board to budget an annual recurring subscription (~$7,000) to support replacement Taser models and associated software and replacement parts; he said older devices were no longer supported. Supervisors asked for and received estimates on wages and other costs to inform transfer and hiring decisions before finalizing the budget.
