Sheriff projects jail savings after dispatch contract, proposes staffing cuts

Sheriff Nate Beckman described operations across patrol, corrections and administrative divisions and presented the office—udget for 2027. He said the department runs about 35 sworn deputies, 38 correctional staff and nine administrative staff for a current total of roughly 88 employees across divisions.

Beckman told commissioners the jail averaged about 101 inmates per day in the reported period and that corrections staffing was lean: several CO positions remain vacant and he has reduced some scheduled positions rather than carry unfilled lines. He proposed eliminating a captain-level jail position, saying the reallocated responsibilities could be absorbed by existing supervisors and that the change would reduce personnel costs.

A central item in the sheriff—riefing was a renegotiated jail dispatch contract with Junction City. Beckman explained the county will budget a larger contractual payment to Junction City (reflected as a contractual outflow) while receiving maintenance and booking-fee revenue back under the new arrangement. He characterized the net effect as a county savings of about $125,000 compared with prior-year accounting for the same services; staff said the contract changes the way revenue is recognized, which is why projected general-fund revenue appears lower in 2027 even though net cost is reduced.

The sheriff emphasized other cost-control measures, including overtime management and vendor negotiations for jail food and medical contracts. No formal action or vote was taken; the commission asked staff to carry the sheriff—udget forward for further review and to confirm assumptions about contract accounting and offsets.