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Sheriff staffing, DEMA grant phase‑out and market‑adjustment requests squeeze Cochise County budget
Summary
Supervisors heard that moving Phase 2 positions from a DEMA grant back onto local funding would require about $791,000 from the general fund and that sheriff and detention staffing, constable salary requests and a $1 million market-adjustment pool will tighten the FY2027 spending picture.
County staff warned supervisors on May 14 that staffing and jail‑district funding pressures add materially to an already constrained FY2027 budget.
Sharon, the budget director, told the board that if Phase 2 positions currently funded by a DEMA grant are moved back onto the jail district they would require approximately $791,000 from the general fund and that failing to fund the transfer would "significantly impact jail operations and staffing levels." Sharon said the sheriff proposed using unspent operational funds in the current fiscal year for some salary increases but that doing so would not solve the multi‑year exposure.
Separately, staff presented proposed salary increases for constables (for Benson and Sierra Vista) and multiple departments requested market adjustments; staff proposed a $1,000,000 pool for market adjustments but cautioned that funding every department's ask would leave roughly $380,000 for all other offices. Department heads present offered ballpark average pay figures (for example, a technician average near $43,000 and another estimate around $52,000 excluding benefits).
Supervisors discussed options to manage personnel cost growth, including not refilling positions as employees retire, seeking efficiencies, and prioritizing critical hires. The board asked for additional analysis, including cost‑benefit comparisons on sheriff retention and recruitment initiatives such as a county academy, and asked staff and the contracted CPA to continue reconciling finance reports and grant figures.
No formal action was taken; staff said they will return next week with more detailed analysis for tentative budget decisions.
