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Council debates sheriff contract rate as public-safety costs rise
Summary
Councilors reviewed the Sibley County sheriff protection contract line (budgeted at $81,600) and discussed verbal rate increases from the county (estimates between $63 and $68/hour for 20 hours/week), weighing negotiation and alternatives.
The council reviewed the budgeted Sibley County sheriff-protection contract, which appears in the draft budget at about $81,600. Members noted the county has discussed a possible per-hour increase and that current verbal estimates range from about $63 to $68 per hour for a 20-hour-per-week contract, producing annualized costs in the roughly $65,000–$71,000 range depending on the final figure.
"If it goes up that much, it's — we're looking at other options," one councilor said while urging negotiation to avoid a large step-up in the budget. Council members favored budgeting conservatively (one suggested $65/hour as a planning figure) while reserving room to negotiate before any contract renewal. Staff said the number reported by the county was a verbal estimate and had not been finalized, and asked the council to hold the budget assumptions pending formal county notice.
