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Park County commissioners probe sheriff’s budget gaps; radios, vehicles and staffing top concerns
Summary
At a Sept. 3 budget workshop, commissioners pressed sheriff’s staff on retention, a roughly $50,000 radio software upgrade for statewide interoperability, vehicle replacement needs and rising benefits costs; commissioners asked staff to explore levy and resort-tax options to shore up public-safety funding.
Park County commissioners reviewed the sheriff’s proposed budget on Sept. 3 and pressed department officials on staffing, communications and vehicle needs as county leaders weigh revenue options to close recurring shortfalls.
Commissioner Jones said the sheriff’s office faces a retention problem and that deputies are often "underpaid," calling out instances of deputies responding to calls alone. "Call volume keeps going up," Jones said, and the county should consider a service department levy and pursuing resort taxes in Gardner and Cooke City to help fund the department.
Sheriff's office staff told commissioners a major increase in the communications line item is driven by a software update — roughly $50,000 — required to make existing radios interoperable with the statewide system. "So we can't talk to them," an agency representative said of neighboring counties on mutual-aid calls, citing a recent request from Gallatin County during a suicidal subject response. Staff argued the upgrade would preserve the county's ability to provide and receive mutual aid across jurisdictions.
Commissioners also heard that the county’s vehicle fleet is stressed: capital-outlay requests reflect a typical ask of about $150,000 to replace two vehicles annually. Speakers noted the fleet currently has only one reliable spare and that heavy repairs can cost more than a replacement. Staff estimated the full sheriff’s budget in the roughly $3.07 million range and pointed to payroll increases (a 2% COLA in the proposed budget) offset by a health-insurance rise of about 18%.
On detention costs, staff said the county spends about $195 per day to house some inmates while state reimbursement averages about $89 per day, creating a recurring shortfall for county taxpayers. The sheriff’s office is also exploring contracting prepared meals from a state prison program; staff said preliminary quotes suggest modest annual savings — on the order of $4,000–$5,000 — and reduced detention-staff meal-prep overtime.
County and sheriff’s staff described recent changes to drug-task-force funding: the addition of another task force at the state level split previously pooled funds across more groups and reduced each unit’s share.
No formal budget vote occurred in the workshop. Commissioners asked staff to continue examining revenue options, including potential mill levies and resort-tax districts in Gardner and Cooke City, and to return with refinements or possible budget amendments.
The commission moved on after thanking sheriff’s staff and taking a motion to adjourn later in the meeting.
