County To Accept Grant For New Cops
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
With some sacrifice and rearranging of budgets, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department will be able to accept a Homeland Security grant after all.
The grant will help add two more officers to the department. The Kosciusko County Council approved acceptance of the grant at its meeting Thursday.
Last year, the county council approved for the KCSD to apply for the grant money. However, at budget sessions in August, the council decided not to accept the grant money due to budget constraints. The council said if the county hired any more employees, no county employees would be able to receive the $300 salary increase the council approved for 2004 to offset the increase in employee insurance.
Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine then withdrew his request for acceptance of the grant. The grant would pay 75 percent of the officers' salaries the first year; 50 percent the second year; and 25 percent the third year; in the fourth year, the county would have to pay the entire salaries. The county also would be responsible for benefits and equipment.
Thursday, Rovenstine reinstated his request for the grant for two new officers. He said he worked with council chairman Harold Jones to find the money to pay for the county's share of the officers for at least the first two years.
To pay for the officers, Rovenstine said, $10,000 will be cut out of the KCSD uniform budget; $4,000 will be cut out of the department's travel budget; and the chief dispatcher salary will be paid out of the Emergency 911 account instead of the sheriff's budget.
With the changes, Rovenstine said, they can pay the salaries without increasing the KCSD budget. Jones, he said, worked very hard so the department could accept the grant.
Jones told the council that county commissioner Ron Truex helped hammer out the budget so it won't cost the taxpayers money. Jones said Truex pointed out that if the county doesn't accept the Homeland Security grants they apply for, they may not be offered again.
"If Commissioner Truex wouldn't have gotten the ball rolling," said Jones, "we probably wouldn't have" been able to do this.
When county councilwoman Charlene Knispel asked if two new officers would be enough for the department, Rovenstine said he doesn't really have a number of how many officers his department needs. The grant was an opportunity to get some federal money back to the county. Obviously, he said, he realizes the county faces a budget crunch and the timing may be wrong.
Councilman Tom Anglin asked if the new officers had to be sent to law enforcement school and how much equipment and vehicles needed to be provided for the two new officers. Rovenstine said it just depends who they hired. As for vehicles, Rovenstine said, the department has one good vehicle available at this time and may purchase a new vehicle, possibly used. To pay for the vehicle, Rovenstine said, he is willing to pay for it out of his commissary fund.
Many of the county's citizens who contacted councilman John Kinsey believe the county needs all the police enforcement it can get, Kinsey told the council.
Councilman Brad Tandy said the council will have to monitor the financial situation very closely. However, with the changes, the grants won't cost the taxpayers any more money. Often, he said, he, like Kinsey, receives letters that say the county needs more officers, but he never receives any letters saying they want the county to go into the red or raise taxes.
"We survived the hump this year," said Anglin, "but next year could be worse."
Larry Teghtmeyer, county councilman, said the county survived the hump by using cumulative funds. The KCSD officers' cooperation and attitude in making sacrifices to get the two new officers is a good argument for the acceptance of the grant money. But, beyond the next 1-1/2 years, Teghtmeyer said, he didn't know if he'd be as supportive of the grant if the money isn't there.
Teghtmeyer made a motion to approve the acceptance of the grant money with the contingency that before the salary ordinances for the two new officers be approved, the security issues in the county's Justice Building be addressed.
Jones then addressed a letter to the editor from Fraternal Order of Police President Travis Marsh that appeared in the Aug. 26 issue of the Times-Union that attempted to "clarify" Marsh's previous letter. Jones said he felt compelled to clarify Marsh's clarification.
In the letter, Marsh wrote, in part, "voters are confused when the county administrator is granted so much power as to regularly deny proposals and requests made by duly elected officials."
Jones said county administrator Ron Robinson "had no input into this. The wage committee gave us no input" on this decision. Robinson is an adviser to the wage committee.
In another part of the letter, Marsh wrote, "We need to find approximately $66,000 over a three-year period to contribute our match to this grant."
Jones said the actual amount is almost $200,000. [[In-content Ad]]
With some sacrifice and rearranging of budgets, the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department will be able to accept a Homeland Security grant after all.
The grant will help add two more officers to the department. The Kosciusko County Council approved acceptance of the grant at its meeting Thursday.
Last year, the county council approved for the KCSD to apply for the grant money. However, at budget sessions in August, the council decided not to accept the grant money due to budget constraints. The council said if the county hired any more employees, no county employees would be able to receive the $300 salary increase the council approved for 2004 to offset the increase in employee insurance.
Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine then withdrew his request for acceptance of the grant. The grant would pay 75 percent of the officers' salaries the first year; 50 percent the second year; and 25 percent the third year; in the fourth year, the county would have to pay the entire salaries. The county also would be responsible for benefits and equipment.
Thursday, Rovenstine reinstated his request for the grant for two new officers. He said he worked with council chairman Harold Jones to find the money to pay for the county's share of the officers for at least the first two years.
To pay for the officers, Rovenstine said, $10,000 will be cut out of the KCSD uniform budget; $4,000 will be cut out of the department's travel budget; and the chief dispatcher salary will be paid out of the Emergency 911 account instead of the sheriff's budget.
With the changes, Rovenstine said, they can pay the salaries without increasing the KCSD budget. Jones, he said, worked very hard so the department could accept the grant.
Jones told the council that county commissioner Ron Truex helped hammer out the budget so it won't cost the taxpayers money. Jones said Truex pointed out that if the county doesn't accept the Homeland Security grants they apply for, they may not be offered again.
"If Commissioner Truex wouldn't have gotten the ball rolling," said Jones, "we probably wouldn't have" been able to do this.
When county councilwoman Charlene Knispel asked if two new officers would be enough for the department, Rovenstine said he doesn't really have a number of how many officers his department needs. The grant was an opportunity to get some federal money back to the county. Obviously, he said, he realizes the county faces a budget crunch and the timing may be wrong.
Councilman Tom Anglin asked if the new officers had to be sent to law enforcement school and how much equipment and vehicles needed to be provided for the two new officers. Rovenstine said it just depends who they hired. As for vehicles, Rovenstine said, the department has one good vehicle available at this time and may purchase a new vehicle, possibly used. To pay for the vehicle, Rovenstine said, he is willing to pay for it out of his commissary fund.
Many of the county's citizens who contacted councilman John Kinsey believe the county needs all the police enforcement it can get, Kinsey told the council.
Councilman Brad Tandy said the council will have to monitor the financial situation very closely. However, with the changes, the grants won't cost the taxpayers any more money. Often, he said, he, like Kinsey, receives letters that say the county needs more officers, but he never receives any letters saying they want the county to go into the red or raise taxes.
"We survived the hump this year," said Anglin, "but next year could be worse."
Larry Teghtmeyer, county councilman, said the county survived the hump by using cumulative funds. The KCSD officers' cooperation and attitude in making sacrifices to get the two new officers is a good argument for the acceptance of the grant money. But, beyond the next 1-1/2 years, Teghtmeyer said, he didn't know if he'd be as supportive of the grant if the money isn't there.
Teghtmeyer made a motion to approve the acceptance of the grant money with the contingency that before the salary ordinances for the two new officers be approved, the security issues in the county's Justice Building be addressed.
Jones then addressed a letter to the editor from Fraternal Order of Police President Travis Marsh that appeared in the Aug. 26 issue of the Times-Union that attempted to "clarify" Marsh's previous letter. Jones said he felt compelled to clarify Marsh's clarification.
In the letter, Marsh wrote, in part, "voters are confused when the county administrator is granted so much power as to regularly deny proposals and requests made by duly elected officials."
Jones said county administrator Ron Robinson "had no input into this. The wage committee gave us no input" on this decision. Robinson is an adviser to the wage committee.
In another part of the letter, Marsh wrote, "We need to find approximately $66,000 over a three-year period to contribute our match to this grant."
Jones said the actual amount is almost $200,000. [[In-content Ad]]