Published: August 29, 2008 08:35 am         

County proposes amended police budgets

Bureau would get two-thirds of sheriff’s budget; cars split

Amended budget proposal for the Allegany County Sheriff's Office and the county Bureau of Police:

Amended budgets worksheet



CUMBERLAND — Jerry Frantz, director of finance for Allegany County, presented the county commissioners Thursday with detailed amended budgets for both the sheriff’s office and the Bureau of Police.

“This is what you were waiting for,” commission president Jim Stakem told those in attendance at Thursday’s public meeting. “It took time to get this all together.”

Frantz reviewed the settlement reached between Sheriff David Goad and the county inside Allegany County District Court on Aug. 20. The agreement, strongly encouraged by visiting Judge Noel Spence, dictated the county would receive 67 percent of the sheriff’s original $2.1 million budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2009. Goad would keep the remaining third. The figures were retroactive to Aug. 14.

As of Aug. 14, there was $1,757,126 available to distribute between the two police agencies. The Bureau of Police is to operate on $1,177,274 through June 30. Goad and his remaining deputies will have $579,852. Goad also will receive $347,710 to hire an additional five deputies through the end of the fiscal year and also gets $72,438 for the salary and fringe benefits for a grant position. The officer holding that position is based at Eckhart Alternative School, Frantz said, and was not one of the 14 deputies who chose to transfer to the Bureau of Police.

The estimated $17,072 to pay for the 14 former deputies’ Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission recertification, as well as patrol vehicle repainting and uniform restitching, will be taken out of the Bureau of Police budget even though the transactions were initiated before the settlement.

County Attorney Bill Rudd said this offer was presented by Goad at the courthouse last week “based on what he needed for his budget.” It wasn’t the first offer, however. Goad originally asked for 46 percent of the budget. That offer was rejected by the county.

The agreement also split the police vehicles. Goad requested to keep all six 2008 patrol cars and agreed to be liable for the debt service for those vehicles, Frantz said.

Stakem said the county has made it “very, very clear” that the potential hiring of five additional deputies is on a temporary basis.

“We’ll negotiate what to do after this year” beginning next spring, Stakem said.

That $347,710 is to come from the county’s fund balance, Frantz said.

The issue of overtime came up. Rudd said overtime should be markedly decreased over the next several months as Goad and his deputies are responsible for courthouse security and serving civil papers. He noted the courts are closed on holidays, thereby limiting possible overtime opportunities. But Goad’s also charged with executing eviction notices and extraditions — tasks that could put a strain on his modified budget.

Stakem and fellow Commissioner Bob Hutcheson appeared ready to approve the amended budget Thursday. Commissioner Dale Lewis expressed a concern that Goad should have a chance to review the material before the changes become official.

County officials said Goad was to review the amended budget, which could be approved at the Sept. 4 public meeting, on Friday with county accountant Pam Smith.

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.