Sheriff briefs Oxford council on patrol costs; vote on new agreement scheduled for next meeting

Sheriff Brad Kunkel told the Oxford City Council on Sept. 10 that the cost of having the Johnson County Sheriff provide patrols for the town will be a factor in the upcoming budget and that the council will consider a new agreement at its next meeting.

The presentation, given during the mayor’s report and staff updates, outlined anticipated budget implications but did not include a finalized contract amount. Kunkel said the topic requires a formal vote and that the agreement will appear on the council agenda at a future meeting for the council’s consideration.

Why this matters: contracts with county law enforcement affect the city operating budget and could require reallocation of local funds or changes to services. Council members did not vote on a patrol contract during the Sept. 10 meeting; instead they recorded the discussion and scheduled a decision for a subsequent meeting.

Procedural notes and routine votes: the council approved the meeting agenda and the consent agenda, approved the August clerk’s report, and later adjourned at 8:10 p.m. Those motions were procedural and recorded as passed unanimously.

Council members and staff present included Mayor Heather Johnson; councilmembers Reihman, Hennes, Cooling and Walter; City Attorney Crystal Raiber; Engineer Ben; Library representative Lauren; Public Works staff including Terry Stockman; and City Clerk Taylor Tvedte. A public comment also flagged a funding question about moving money from a money market account to pay for ECICOG’s comprehensive plan work.

Next steps: The patrol agreement will return to the council for a formal vote at the next meeting, where members will consider any proposed contract terms and associated budget adjustments.