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Court debates sheriff’s ROV and drone funding while judge rules out county crowdfunding
Summary
Justices and the sheriff’s office argued over a requested Deep Trekker ROV and other safety equipment; deputies said the ROV speeds recoveries and reduces overtime and safety risk, while the county judge said the county will not pursue crowdfunding for the purchase.
A proposal to buy a Deep Trekker remotely operated vehicle and related equipment prompted a sharp discussion about operational needs, grants and who should pay.
Justice Smith suggested community fundraising as a way to buy the roughly $190,000 ROV, saying it could be a compelling local story and might speed acquisition. "What if the community went nuts for it and we raised that money in 3 weeks?" Smith asked.
Sheriff's‑office supporters and an agency representative replied that the ROV is an operational necessity that would reduce overtime and safety risks during lake recoveries. The agency official said the device pays for itself: "This thing will find it far faster than we do," and argued the cost of extended search operations and overtime can exceed the purchase price.
County Judge weighed in on the financing idea and rejected crowdsourcing as a county program: "We can go check on that, but I'll tell you as the county judge over this — I'm not gonna go into the crowdfunding business or things like that at the county," he said, citing accounting and audit concerns.
The court heard additional price‑update reports for other forensic equipment and noted small increases are already accommodated in the budget framework. Members ultimately left the ROV item in the budget as presented but signaled they want clarity on grants, legal limits for donations and operational deployment before final purchase.
Why it matters
The dispute highlights tradeoffs between capital investments that improve public‑safety response and the county’s broader priorities (including jail funding). Choosing to buy equipment now, pursue grants, or rely on community donations would affect budgets and response capabilities at Beaver Lake and other county water bodies.
What’s next
Staff will update quotes and report back to the committee; the ROV and related items remain in the budget framework pending final authorization and any grant or procurement steps.
