Spencer County Fiscal Court approves $45,571.91 increase to sheriff's salary cap and OKs purchase of two pursuit-rated vehicles

The Spencer County Fiscal Court voted July 3 to increase the sheriff's 2023 salary cap by $45,571.91 to cover unplanned expenditures including leave payout for a former chief deputy, retirement match and insurance adjustments. The motion passed 5-1, with Magistrate Stump casting the lone dissent.

Chief Deputy Andrew Ware outlined unplanned expenses and said the sheriff's cap stood at $905,000 for 2023. He identified items including 200 hours of leave payout for a departed deputy ($7,400), a retirement match and health insurance allowances for new hires and stated a total of $45,571.91 in unplanned costs. After several proposed amendments to reduce the requested amount failed to gain support, the full request passed.

Magistrate Esquire Stump argued the sheriff should try to balance the office budget and cautioned against relying on repeated cap increases: “The Sheriff needs an opportunity to balance his budget instead of receiving more increases from Fiscal Court,” he said. Others said the increases covered contractual and unexpected obligations.

Separately, the court approved the purchase of two pursuit-rated 1500 GMC vehicles. An initial motion to buy a single pursuit-rated vehicle was amended to purchase two and to use federal drug-seizure funds where available, with the county paying any remaining balance. That amended motion passed unanimously.

Both actions were recorded in the minutes; the salary-cap increase takes immediate effect for the 2023 fiscal year. The vehicle purchases will proceed with financing to include seized-funds resources as authorized by the court.