What you need to know
Newly elected sheriff Wesley Doolittle presented the request to commissioners on March 4, which would use $802,148 to make changes including:
- Creating an overnight command division: $615,875
- Hiring an executive assistant: $66,273
- Rebranding supplies: $120,000
The night command division would involve hiring a captain and two lieutenants, which would provide additional oversight for on-duty deputies during overnight patrols countywide. Doolittle also clarified to the court that "rebranding" would only be for business cards, materials and additional "swag" items to be updated with the new administration's names and priorities.
The funding source
While commissioners were in agreement that the needs were justified, Budget Director Amanda Carter said the county did not have enough funds at the time of the request to cover the full amount. Carter recommended the county approve the expenditures for the night command division and executive assistant positions, but only allocate $60,000 for rebranding.
"Typically what we do when somebody comes into office or takes over, we give them funds to work with, and you came in a little bit handicapped because of funding in certain areas that is gone, and it shouldn't be gone," Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough said.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Ritch Wheeler said he would be willing to pitch in $15,000 from his budget to help cover the additional $60,000 needed by Doolittle, which was also supported by each commissioner.
"I think what the sheriff [is] trying to do is change the image and culture of the department, and that's what the people voted for," Wheeler said.
The impact
Commissioner approved funding $742,148 from the county’s contingency fund, and each commissioner also donated $15,000 from each of their personal budgets to cover the full amount requested by Doolittle. Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley did tell commissioners and the sheriff's office to keep in mind all mid-year funding requests when the county goes into the budget workshop season in August, where most county departments bring funding needs and requests.
"We're evaluating our training, we're evaluating everything we're doing in the office to make it more efficient, to try to save money," Doolittle said. "We're working diligently with what we have, trying to be resourceful for the monies that we have, and trying to spend every penny we can for public safety."
