Commission hears budget requests of recorder, sheriff

By Ben Holman

Nevada Daily Mail

Vernon County Commissioners met with more county officials on Wednesday regarding departmental budget requests for 2005. Doug Shupe, county recorder, Vickie Erwin, circuit clerk, and Ron Peckman, sheriff, each presented proposed budgets to the commissioners.

Shupe did not request any increases, except for a pay increase for his deputy -- in fact, Shupe actually requested a lower amount in one category, office supplies. He requested a 10 percent increase in pay for his deputy recorder but didn't seem to expect to receive that much.

"Hey, if I don't ask and the money's there, we won't get it. If the money isn't there, then we won't get it," he said. Several other officials made the same request for pay increases for their deputies and staff.

"Everyone gets the same raise," said Darnold, "whatever that ends up being."

The budget that everyone agreed was the most difficult was the sheriff's budget. The sheriff requested increases for deputy salaries as well as the reinstatement of one deputy position that was eliminated last year, returning the total number of budgeted positions to nine. Peckman also requested 10 percent pay increases for all sheriff's employees.

"We want 10 percent but 15 percent is where they should be," said Peckman. He said that a starting pay rate of around $22,000 would make recruitment and retention easier when competing against the city. The current base salary for sheriff's deputies is $18,500.

All the commissioners said that they are in favor of increasing the pay of deputies but that they were unsure of the availability of funds. "In years past, when you compare our pay rates with those of other sheriff's offices in other counties, we're usually about the same and sometimes higher," said Bonnie McCord, southern commissioner.

"There's no doubt the city's pay better," said David Darnold, presiding commissioner, "they've got a 12 million dollar budget."

Peckman also requested funds to hire an extra office assistant who would also be trained as a dispatcher, several requests for various equipment and funds to purchase two new vehicles -- either a pickup and a car or two cars. Last year the office went over budget in several areas, including fuel, transportation and inmate housing in out-of-county facilities.

"We spent $37,000 last year to house prisoners in other county jails," said Neal Gerster, northern commissioner -- only $13,000 was budgeted.

"That's a cost that never seems to go down," said Darnold.

The commissioners said that they did not know what raises they would be able to give the deputies but would know better once they started putting everyone's requests together in a draft budget. As for the other requests, the commissioners questioned some of the numbers used and tried to work with the sheriff's office to balance appropriations.

When the commissioners met with Erwin there were no surprises, as the commissioners had met with the circuit court officials last week.

They said the meeting was a chance for them to see the actual line-items on the budget. Commissioners had a few questions about some items but could not make any changes because the circuit clerk's budget is a court order and the circuit judge has to approve changes.

Commissioners will be in session every day this week and next week, working on the budget and hope to have a draft budget ready by Friday, Jan., 14.

The budget must then be made available for public viewing for 10 days, after which it will be presented to the commissioners for final approval.