Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board asks county for costed proposals after residents request sheriff coverage options
Summary
Following a citizen request, the Selectboard discussed a county sheriff's office proposal for patrol coverage, hours and an administrative liaison; members asked for three-year costed options including vehicle, travel and hours assumptions, and whether county tax payments already cover any of the requested services.
At the request of residents, the board sought a formal proposal from the Franklin County sheriff's office to provide varying levels of patrol coverage in town. The county response noted union scheduling constraints and proposed coverage options framed around a 160-hour coverage baseline (the county noted that 120 hours might be possible depending on staffing) and asked whether the town wanted an administrative liaison to coordinate with the county.
Board members and the public probed several unanswered cost questions: would coverage include use of sheriff vehicles or require town-supplied vehicles; would deputies be expected to remain in town or return to their home stations between shifts; and would travel/gas costs be included in any quoted price. Several board members asked whether the county's existing services funded through county tax payments already include some administrative coverage or whether the town would pay a separate cost-plus amount for a dedicated liaison.
One member urged the board to collect data on current sheriff hours spent in Rangely as a baseline for comparison. "If you provide these two [patrol vehicles] ... there should be probably some kind of schedule," a member said, urging a multi-year picture so the board can assess capital and operating impacts.
No formal vote was taken; instead the board requested costed options (with and without an administrative liaison), three-year staffing and capital projections, and clarification of what the town already receives as part of county services. The county offered to provide answers by email and to attend a future meeting if needed.
Why this matters: The proposal touches public safety coverage, recurring operating costs and potential capital responsibilities (vehicles). A shift from local department coverage to county-provided coverage has operational and fiscal implications that require apples-to-apples comparisons before any contractual change.
Next steps: Town staff will ask the sheriff's office for written cost proposals with the requested breakdowns and invite county leadership to present at a future meeting if needed.
