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Committee weighs adding 0.25 deputy and a possible public-safety fee
Summary
Committee members and staff discussed whether to add a 0.25 deputy (estimated at roughly $250,000 annually), options to fund the position (draw reserves, reprioritize spending, or a monthly public-safety fee on utility bills), and operational impacts on coverage and enforcement.
Committee members asked whether the forecast could accommodate adding 0.25 of a sheriff deputy and what choices would be required to pay for it. Jordan Wheeler said the incremental cost would be on the order of $250,000 per year and that the forecast tool shows the effect on reserves and the general-fund trajectory.
The Deschutes County lieutenant briefed the committee on coverage and policing patterns, saying the department is increasing traffic-enforcement patrol time countywide. "When you have extra eyes out there, extra patrol car, you're going to see more citations, more traffic stops, more self-initiated activity," the lieutenant said. Committee members pressed for data on unmet incidents and coverage gaps; staff said the city receives monthly activity reports from the sheriff and will continue to review operational metrics before recommending any permanent staffing changes or fees.
