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Sheriff Brad Kunkel outlines 28E contract terms and jail bond estimate; council presses on speeding
Summary
Johnson County Sheriff Brad Kunkel told the Hills City Council on Jan. 26 that the five-year 28E agreement calls for a $4.00-per-hour increase annually and 14 deputy hours per week, and said a ballot bond of about $80–$90 million for a new jail would be on the fall ballot.
Sheriff Brad Kunkel told the Hills City Council on Jan. 26 that the five‑year intergovernmental (28E) agreement between the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Hills includes a $4.00‑an‑hour increase each year and provides for 14 deputy hours of coverage per week, though he said deputies frequently exceed that amount without billing the city.
The briefing, given at the Hills Fire Station during the council’s regular meeting, included statistics Kunkel described as reflecting a county‑wide rise in calls and incidents. "The contract calls for a $4.00 an hour increase each year of the agreement, and that the Sheriff's Department provide 14 hours of coverage per week," Kunkel said.
Why it matters: The contracted hours and the county’s approach to staffing affect the city’s public‑safety budget and response times. Council members pressed for clarity on enforcement priorities and public‑safety impacts tied to local traffic issues.
During a question-and-answer exchange, Councilmember Henderson asked whether deputies could proactively issue tickets when they observed infractions or whether residents must report complaints. Kunkel confirmed deputies have authority to write tickets. Mayor Tim Kemp said he preferred deputies focus enforcement on speeding on Main Street and Knoll Ridge Avenue; Councilmember Hudachek said the most dangerous periods were school bus drop‑off times.
Kunkel also updated the council on long‑term detention plans. "He indicated a bond, which he estimated to be between $80-$90million for a 140‑bed facility on 15 acres of land, would be on the ballot in the fall," Kunkel said. He added that the county expects to spend at least $3.5 million this year on maintenance of the current jail and that overcrowding has required paying other counties to house inmates.
Council members did not take a formal vote on the sheriff’s presentation. The sheriff’s estimate puts a potential county ballot measure in the coming months; any final bond proposal and related vote schedule will be set by the county and reported to the public in follow‑up communications.
