June 1, 2006 Commission Looks at the Sheriff's (Captain's) Budget (TPTS PArt IV)

Hamblen County Commission Budget Meeting on May 30, 2006.
(The Perfect Tax Storm TPTS Part IV)

Circuit Court, General Sessions, Drug Court, and Work Program budgets were presented, and then the Sheriff's Department budget was on tap.

The two big budget items were the Sheriff's Administrative Budget (patrol officers and detectives) and the Sheriff's Jail Budget. Unfortunately, neither the Sheriff nor the Chief Jailer came to talk about their $3,500,000+ combined budgets.

Captain Hugh Moore addressed the Sheriff's Administrative Budget and apologized for not being able to answer certain questions. As he put it, he was sort of "winging it."

The Sheriff's budget was taken under advisement with changes to be made to certain line items (gasoline and travel) and more information to be requested about how department uniforms are purchased.

The uniform issue involves whether employees should receive separate payroll checks to be used to buy their uniforms individually (and requiring the county and the employee to pay social security taxes, retirement, etc. on that money) or whether there are other ways to purchase uniforms that would save the tax and retirement expenses.

At the start of the 2006 fiscal year, uniforms were about a $25,000 line item in the Sheriff's budget.

Uniforms have to be purchased and are a big ticket item. Making the purchase in the most economical way for the officers and the taxpayers is important.

That's why I asked May 30th, as I had before, that we look for the best way to get the uniforms we need without burdening the officer or the county with social security taxes and retirement costs on the uniform purchase. Other counties do this.

Purchasing the uniforms through competitive bidding would save even more money. Other counties do this.

The county specifies the appearance and quality requirements (garment weight, etc) for each uniform and then all uniforms are put out to bid. This would results in competition among vendors and the lowest possible price.

More on the Sheriff's budget to come....raises, mileage records, jail costs.