Sheriff's department argues against layoff
Staff writer
Sheriff Lee Becker, Undersheriff Randy Brazil, Sgt. Jeff Soyez, and Deputy Mike Vineski appeared before Marion County commissioners Thursday to argue against the commissioners' plan to reduce the sheriff's department's strength by one deputy and also remove one sheriff's car from the budget.
Operating costs for the sheriff's department had grown by 70 percent since 1995, commissioners have noted. But Becker said the department was grossly understaffed, in earlier years.
He himself was working 230 hours a month at one time, when he was a deputy, the sheriff said. Back then, "it was not a pleasant place to be, " Becker said.
With the prevalence of cell phones, "much more instantaneous demands" are being made, he said.
There are 14 cities in the county, plus Marion County Lake and Marion Reservoir. Four cities have part-time or full-time law enforcement people. Hillsboro has five police officers and is asking for another, Becker said.
Marion has five officers, Peabody three. The sheriff's office covers 954 square miles, including 125-150 miles of highways.
In 1991, three Kansas Highway Patrol officers patrolled this county, Becker said. Now, although some live here, they are assigned duties elsewhere, outside Marion County.
"They're not always here, every day," Becker said. He added that Marion's (city) area is about two square miles, Hillsboro's also two, and Peabody's one square mile.
And cities are not burdened with jail or civil process duties, Becker said. Driving from here to Goessel and back to serve papers takes an hour.
Deputy David Martinez just returned from two months' training at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Yoder. He's a Navy veteran and a good employee, Becker said.
Another deputy is going to have knee surgery and will be out a month.
Prisoner transports take at least a half-day, often a full day, Becker said. "We're spread thin."
Brazil said he was the only county officer in the county on the afternoon of July 24, when the tragic double-fatality collision occurred at Florence.
Brazil said, "I don't want to step back like it (sheriff's department) was."
County Commission Chairman Howard Collett said the state's changing the duties of state troopers constitutes another cut in state funding for the counties.
The state highways are where most wrecks occur, Collett said. "It's the state's duty to patrol" the roads, he said.
Brazil said, "We're just as responsible as they are."
There are lots of county roads to patrol, too, the men from the sheriff's office said. There are meth labs to be investigated and confiscated, arrests to be made, accidents to work, etc.
Becker said the in-car cameras deputies now have help a lot in their work.
His department now has seven full-time deputies, he said, on patrol and at the jail.
The men said that on July 26, Sgt. Soyez stopped a vehicle occupied by three mentally handicapped people, and it took the department all day to deal with the incident.
"This is the exception, not the rule," Becker said, but an example of what sometimes occurs. "There is no fat to cut out, for a 10-percent budget cut," he added.
There were five inmates in the county jail on Thursday, Becker said. "We haven't bought a new car for over two years." All the sheriff's cars have more than 100,000 miles on them now, he said.
"The Chevys have done well, with good maintenance," Deputy Vineski said. "We're doing all that's within our control to keep costs down," he added.
Becker noted that he and his people also are taxpayers. "My taxes are up, too, for schools, for the transfer station
Commissioner Leroy Wetta said to Becker, "You've got a job to do and we do, too. We've been supportive (of you) the last five years. I think it's time we have to take a little back. It goes both ways, give and take. And it has 'gone.'
"You go where the money is, like the bank robber said. Roads and bridges has been nailed three times already," said Wetta.
He mentioned the county treasurer's department, due also for a reduction by cutting one employee from its payroll. Wetta said a six-percent budget cut hurts some departments "pretty bad, but they're gonna have to eat it. We've got to come out of this with a budget."
Commissioner Bob Hein said, "Insurance (health insurance costs) is way up. You guys do a good job. This is tough. But we can't raise the (county's) mill levy."
Becker replied, "Then let's cut across the board — a clerk here, etc. etc. Then you'll have plenty of money."
Wetta said, "The growth (in the sheriff's office's operating costs) caught my eye. We have to survive until this economy turns around
Becker said the highway patrol is going to get a 24-percent raise. Wetta said the KHP is down in numbers of people over the long term, the past several years.
Vineski said, "If we're pulled in to do jail work and have to investigate, too, we'll be spread thin. This will lead to overtime hours."
Becker said Vineski investigates molestation and child-abuse allegations "that don't make the media. This takes a lot of time," he said. Vineski is also the DARE program officer.
Vineski said the Marion Social and Rehabilitation Services office will close, and "we'll have to deal with the El Dorado office then," 40-some miles down the road.
"Investigation can't 'give' any. I won't let it," he said. "It's too important to take lightly. The sheriff's office is not the place to cut. We don't deserve it."
Wetta said, "there'll be some slippage, longer waits for some county services" with the tough budget cuts being made.
Becker said the growth in his budget was "absolutely necessary," over a five-year period, from 1997 on.
"It's a response to what is going on in society," said Vineski.
Brazil told commissioners, "You guys sit in hard chairs, but so do we, 24/7. We do not want to have to say to someone in Burns, after the fact, 'We could not be there.'"
Becker said, "Circumstance controls us. We don't know what's gonna happen."
The officers said people are not going to like not having a good response time, or in some cases, no response at all.
But Hein said, "the public is talking" (about keeping taxes down). "Try going along with this, with what's in the papers," he said.
Vineski said, "People in small towns are glad to have an officer present."
Wetta said, "You put it on the line. I'll take the hit. We have to have a budget. You're gonna get it in the face," he said, referring to himself and the other two commissioners.
"We have to balance the budget, with no increase," Wetta said.
Becker said, "People are also talking about the expense of the transfer station."
Wetta said, "We separate that out" in the budget. "It's not part of our main budget. It finances itself — it's not a cash cow."
Bonds were issued to pay for the transfer station, and a levy is made for it.
Vineski said, "We see the pain of individuals and of families." He added that the sheriff's office can be sued "if they don't do what they're supposed to."
Soyez said, "We're trying to take care of ourselves by being here today. Herington added two officers. So did Marion."
"Overtime hours will absorb most of your savings, and a lawsuit would wipe out any savings," said Vineski.
Collett said, "We're all in the same boat, as we said a while back. We haven't finalized this yet. I understand your concern. I'm not gonna promise you anything."
Wetta said, "I don't want to wreck something."
Hein said, "If the state hadn't cut so much, we wouldn't be in this situation."
Collett said the state has lowered its funding for Marion County by $480,000 per year.
In the end, the cuts were made. The sheriff is to give up one person and one car, the county treasurer's office and roads and bridges department to lay off one person each, and one new "generic" bridge planned for 2004 will not be contructed, resulting in an estimated savings of $190,000.
