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Norwich Township accepts shared sheriff contract after months of negotiations
Summary
Norwich Township trustees approved a shared contract with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office that raises monthly costs but maintains patrol coverage by sharing a deputy with neighboring Washington Township; trustees also discussed operational cost offsets such as fueling at township pumps.
Norwich Township trustees approved a revised contract with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office that takes effect June 1, 2000, after several months of negotiations over a roughly 24–25% proposed increase in monthly fees. Trustees said the revised arrangement shares a deputy with Washington Township and preserves first- and second-shift coverage while reducing some costs through operational changes.
The board first flagged the contract in mid-February when the sheriff’s representatives presented a proposed monthly increase to about $14,350. Township leaders met with Washington Township officials and county representatives to explore options, including shared shifts and local fueling arrangements to cut the monthly bill by an estimated $1,500, according to trustees discussing the proposal. "Sharing coverage and using our fuel pumps reduces the total expense while keeping patrols in the township," trustee Durland Workman said during deliberations.
Trustees emphasized the trade-offs. Officials warned that if the township declined a contract, response times could become slower because only countywide resources would cover uncontracted areas. At meetings in March and April trustees tabled final action pending talks with Washington Township and a review of operational details; the board later authorized the shared arrangement contingent on Washington Township’s acceptance and with a plan to ask voters for a levy to fund the full cost when the two-year contract ends in December 2001.
The board also directed staff to work out the logistics for deputies to fuel at the township’s pumps and to document the fuel-exchange or billing procedures with Washington Township. Trustee Rice said the board will pursue options to reduce expenses while maintaining coverage that residents depend on. The contract approval was recorded in minutes of the June 5 meeting and subsequent entries noting operational steps to implement shared shifts and fuel accounting.
