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Sheriff and EMS outline overtime pressures; public defender requests salary increases for support staff
Summary
County public safety leaders told the council about rising overtime costs; Sheriff Brent Miller and EMS Director Tony Floyd cited turnover and shift coverage. Chief Public Defender Ryan Bower requested higher salaries for two secretarial positions and the office manager to fill experienced staff needs.
Sheriff Brent Miller told the council the 2026 overtime request for the sheriff's office reflected staff turnover, holidays and the need to cover shifts for vacation time. Councilmember Todd Armstrong asked whether buying back vacation time might reduce overtime; Miller said it "would help but [he was] not sure how much," according to the meeting record.
EMS Director Tony Floyd also discussed overtime and submitted an amended EMS budget for consideration. The minutes reflect council questions about options to reduce overtime but show no immediate funding commitments linked to specific changes.
Chief Public Defender Ryan Bower asked the council to amend his 2026 budget request to increase two secretarial positions to $44,000 each so the office could hire candidates with experience, and to raise the office manager salary to $56,000; Bower requested those changes be applied to 2025. The minutes record the requested salary levels but do not show whether the council approved the specific pay changes at that meeting.
