Sheriff uncertain about budget cuts
Staff writer
Sheriff Lee Becker told county commissioners Monday he will not add a full-time deputy to his payroll this year, even though he had planned to until the county's stark budgetary situation became clear in recent months.
But he is badly "hurting" for manpower, the sheriff said. He is "down three" right now, with one man out on sick leave, post-surgery; one with a new baby, born prematurely; and the hiring of Garry Klose now "out."
Becker had planned to hire Klose, who will retire in 10 days from the Marion Police Department, at least as a part-time deputy.
Commissioner Leroy Wetta said that he and fellow commissioners Bob Hein and Howard Collett had estimated that cutting the sheriff's staff by one person, or not hiring one planned to be hired, would save $35,000 per year in salary and benefits, and cutting the sheriff's department's fleet of cars by one vehicle would save another $25,000.
Wetta said he didn't care how Becker did it, just so he was able to cut his 2003 budget by $50,000 to $60,000. "Balance it out," Wetta said.
Commission Chairman Collett told Becker, "You have discretion" (in how and where to make the cuts).
With 10 inmates in the county jail Monday, and six transports of prisoners to other towns to make this week, Becker said he was short-handed and therefore "hurting." His deputies made three transfers, in fact, Monday, soon after the commission meeting ended.
Some of this week's transports were to Winfield and Topeka.
A semi tractor-trailer turned over west of Hillsboro recently, tying up all the sheriff's available men. Luckily, Becker said, no other calls came in during the time they had to be at the scene.
Becker said he might have to start taking inmates to other counties' jails, "where they have more staff.
"We have to make transports on time," he said, reminding commissioners that his office is on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Thefts of anhydrous ammonia for making of methamphetamines and other investigations will suffer if he does not have sufficient personnel, Becker said.
"If they know we're not staffed, we're gonna start losing that battle real quick," the sheriff said.
Allegations of child abuse, too, have to be handled in timely fashion by his office, Becker said.
At the recent Marion County Fair, Becker said he heard nothing but favorable comments about his department, and people did not understand the budget cuts he was being forced to make.
When the population of the jail rises to 10 or 15, "we have to be able to meet the challenge," Becker said.
Growth in the budget, in the sheriff's payroll, came about largely before he started serving as sheriff in 2000, Becker said. The department was underfunded and understaffed, and two people were added through grants.
"I'm missin' three people as of today," Becker said. Should he just have those available do the work and pay them the overtime earned?, he asked. "People get tired of working overtime, too," Becker said.
Wetta said, "We have to be within budget."
Becker said, "I'm bound by statute to stay within my budget to the best of my ability
Collett said he sensed "a veiled threat" on Becker's part to take prisoners elsewhere, thus costing the county more, if he could not have one more person on his staff. Housing its inmates in other cities' and counties' jails would cost Marion County considerably, Becker had said.
It's just not manageable without an "extra" person at the jail, the sheriff said.
Becker said this was the "11th hour," and the 6-percent budget cut for 2003 would be "hard to do." He said he probably could not make the 6-percent reduction.
Wetta said he confidently expected cooperation from Becker. "I don't intend to call you over here and lecture you on your budget," he said.
Collett said, "Do the best you can. We're up against hard times no matter where we go. We have to work together. If the inmate population stays up, we're in trouble."
Becker said he cut purchase of a washer and dryer from his capital outlay expenditures budget this year, to save money. He had hoped to have inmates do the jail laundry with those appliances, thereby saving some money.
Commissioners' next meeting will be at 9 a.m. Friday, the end-of-month payday meeting. They will not meet next week.
