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Sheriff and commissioners debate using mill-levy dollars for payroll versus equipment
Summary
Sheriff’s office and commissioners reviewed how the public-safety mill levy and the 911 fund have been used to cover payroll and equipment costs, and discussed moving some under-sheriff payroll back into the regular sheriff’s budget so levy proceeds can pay for equipment upgrades.
Representatives from the sheriff’s office described a funding squeeze driven by a public-safety mill levy intended for equipment upgrades that has been partly used for payroll. One commissioner summarized the sheriff's request as seeking to return Rex’s payroll to the sheriff’s regular budget so the mill levy can fund radios and other infrastructure.
Commissioners noted that shifting payroll onto short-term mill-levy funds reduces the capital available for longer-lived equipment the levy was largely intended to support. Staff said ARPA funds had covered significant portions of recent radio and tower costs but that the recurring dispatch payroll gap remains. The board requested an itemized priority list and detailed budget scenarios that show what would be needed to restore payroll to regular budget lines without sacrificing planned equipment upgrades.
