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Council approves sheriffs request to occupy upstairs offices over one objection
Summary
The Aliso Viejo City Council voted 4-1 to allow the sheriffs department to move into office space upstairs, accepting a furniture budget ceiling of roughly $50,000; Councilmember Tiffany Ackley opposed the measure citing budget priorities.
The Aliso Viejo City Council voted 4-1 to allow the sheriffs department to occupy and reconfigure office space upstairs, a change officials said will consolidate deputies work areas and protect confidential law-enforcement conversations.
Councilmember Tiffany Ackley opposed the measure, saying the citys finances do not justify the expense. "I will be a no on this just because I don't think that the taxpayers get any tangible benefit from this," Ackley said, noting the city had about a $45,000 surplus and that the furniture estimate could erase that cushion.
Captain Burr, the sheriff's department representative, urged approval. He said the change would reunite deputies under one roof for training, mentoring and confidential work and that the move would not increase the city's monthly rent because the swap involved city IT occupying current space while deputies moved upstairs. "This addresses that: now everybody's in one room," Captain Burr said, arguing the arrangement is consistent with service needs and privacy requirements.
City staff said the furniture cost ceiling discussed between staff and the sheriff was $50,000 and that the most recent quote was "just over 42K." Council members asked about the number of deputies expected in the space; Captain Burr said his immediate team would be three (himself, a sergeant and an emergency manager) and that daytime staffing could range from two to as many as seven or eight depending on shift and need.
Mayor Pro Tem Munsing moved the item and another councilmember seconded the motion. After brief discussion about reusing existing furniture and seeking lower-cost purchase alternatives, the council voted to approve the request 4-1; Ackley cast the lone dissenting vote.
The vote implements the staff-and-sheriff negotiated office swap and authorizes the one-time furniture purchases described to reconfigure the upstairs space. Staff indicated the intent to reuse existing furniture where feasible and to keep the furnishing costs below the agreed ceiling.
The council did not attach additional conditions to the approval at the time of the vote.
