Security was the main focus of the first round of 2022 budget talks Monday by the Bartholomew County Council.
The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department is seeking $5,006,985 — a 3.3% increase from this year, Chief Deputy Maj. Chris Lane told the council.
The sheriff’s office, courthouse security, drug treatment for inmates and jail operations were all treated as separate funds during Monday’s budget discussions.
Before the budget talks began, the council voted to move $29,492 from the tax warrant collection fees account into the county’s general fund. The transfer will allow Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers to be paid not only 80% of the compensation received by the county prosecutor, but also up to 10% of all of the tax warrant collection fees. However, state law prohibits the sheriff from earning more than the prosecutor.
Receiving a portion of these fees became an option for Myers at the beginning of last year, when he did not sign a contract with the county as he did annually during his first five years in office.
Instead, Myers decided to work without a contract after the council did not support a proposal to provide him with a county pension after he steps down after eight years of service at the end of next year, due to term limits. Currently, a sheriff or deputy must work eight years and one month to receive a pension.
Although funds were transferred from the tax collection funds, Councilman Mark Gorbett said it may be the end of this week before the council comes up with a preliminary determination of how much additional money should be provided to Myers this year. He said that amount could change multiple times before the final 2022 budget is adopted in mid-October.
The sheriff department proposed budget states Myers’ salary will be $127,960 next year — an increase of $3,060 from this year’s compensation.
Law enforcement
Under the proposed budget, all employees of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department will receive a $4% base rate increase. The department is asking to hire two new patrol deputies, which Lane says will increase law enforcement presence and significantly reduce overtime pay.
In addition, the department wants to add two new lieutenants, so that each road shift has a shift commander, Lane said. He emphasized the lieutenants would be 100% dedicated to road patrol.
The request for new officers will allow a realignment of the leadership structure, allowing each shift to manage their own overtime, work schedule, vacation management and training, the chief deputy said.
Seven new patrol vehicles are being requested. Five will replace current cars or trucks with more than 150,000 miles, while the remaining two will be for new deputies. The price of a 2021 Dodge Charger ($26,934) is only $215 less than that of a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup ($27,149). While no choice was made, Lane emphasized the trucks retain their value considerably longer than the cars.
Lane told the council that pension funding was $87,009 less this year due to market performance, and operating supplies went up by $20,000.
While the department is no longer receiving $24,302 annually from gun permit fees, radio costs will be down by $57,000 next year, due to the completion of payments.
Jail budget
The department is requesting $6.59 million for conventional jail operations — about $1.64 million more than this year.
All of the jail expenses will be paid out of the local income tax revenue, rather than property taxes and other funds. This will allow the county to determine exactly how much the jail operations cost each year, county auditor Pia O’Connor said.
So the jail budget will now includes Public Employees Retirement Fund investments, as well as health care costs, according to Lane’s presentation.
Another reason for the increase is that inmate medical expenses will increase by $107,361 next year. The department is also losing a $95,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice grant for mental health. The department’s contract with Advanced Correctional Healthcare, a supplemental nursing service, will increase by 3%, Lane said.
The department is also asking that all of their employees receive a 4% base increase in salary, with one exception. The budget calls for all cooks at the jail to have their salaries increased to a maintenance pay level.
The goal for the jail is to avoid losing valuable employees, as well as remain at full staffing for better management, Lane said.
Drug treatment
The total request for funding drug treatment at the jail is $340,291 — an increase of $90,381 from this year. Jail Addiction Treatment Program Coordinator and Clinical Counselor Theresa Patton has requested that she be made a contract employee, rather than a salaried work. While such a change would result in Patton losing her county benefits, her annual pay would climb from $71,500 to $145,000.
Two new addiction program counselors are being sought. Based on their education, experiences and licenses, their salaries would range between $45,000 and $55,000 each year. When benefits are added to the two new positions, the cost could rise to over $195,291.
The program has decided to give up trying to find two part-time jail addiction treatment program recovery specialists, because they cannot find qualified individuals who are willing to work part-time. So the proposed 2022 budgets calls for hiring one full-time recovery specialist.
Courthouse security
At the request of county auditor Pia O’Connor, 2022 will be the first year that courthouse security will be treated as a stand-alone budget. The council is considering a request to provide courthouse security with $293,142 for next year.
As explained by Bartholomew Superior Court 1 Judge James Worton, a total of five officers would be working at the courthouse if the proposed budget is accepted. Two of them would be transferred from the sheriff’s department.
The courthouse would continue with the two entry officers at the main entrance with the metal detectors and X-ray machines. However, three officers would be patrolling the hallways and courtrooms.
While Worton said the entry door security is very good, there are several new realities that make courtroom and hallway security a priority. He listed them as:
Increased violence occurring in courts across the nation.
A slow response time of law enforcement when the need arises.
Entry officers cannot quickly leave their post to answer calls or assistance.
If all the security is posted at the front, there is not a viable deterrent to violence close or within the courtrooms.
Increased court loads has result in increased traffic in the courtroom.
By providing the courts the added security they need, judges and other court personnel will be able to focus on the task at hand, Worton said.
