08-13-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--August 13, 2001 2328 Sheriff, Jail, Detention Sheriff Don Rudnick was unable to be present. Glenn Ellingsberg, Jim Thoreson and Michele Boucher explained the budget request for 2002. The board was agreeable to removing the following items suggested by Mr. Ellingsberg: $3,500 for DNA testing because it was also budgeted for this year but was not used; $2,000 from mobile phones; $28,000 for a crew cab pickup because one is being purchased this year with grant funds and asset forfeitures. Mr. Ellingsberg said education travel, per diem and seminar registration increased because most of the staff has already attended training sessions in Bismarck. The department would like to send some employees to more extensive training classes, some of which will be held in Minneapolis. Mr. Wieland noted that Cass County has a policy on using ethanol-blend fuel for county vehicles when the price is the same as for regular fuel. A memo will be sent to county departments who use county-owned vehicles reminding them to follow the policy when ethanol is competitively priced. Mr. Thoreson said the department is short-staffed at night, and the new employee request includes a vehicle for the position, for a total of $67,033. He said he would like to eliminate compensatory time because it is difficult to allow time off when they are already short of help. Mr. Wieland said he supports adding a field deputy position and favors paying overtime instead of allowing compensatory time off because he thinks it would be more efficient. The comp time issue will be scheduled for discussion at a future meeting of the Personnel Overview Committee. MOTION, passed Mr. Wieland moved and Mrs. Sorum seconded to approve the new employee, related benefits and a new vehicle for the Sheriff's Department, at a cost of $67,033.00. The motion carried on roll call vote with four members voting "Aye" and Mrs. Schneider opposing. Mr. Ellingsberg said the Cass County Emergency Manager works full-time in that capacity, and 50% of his salary is paid by the North Dakota Division of Emergency Management. One secretary works half-time for this department, and 25% of that salary is also paid by the State. The name of the Reserve Program is being changed, according to Mr. Ellingsberg, to the Emergency Services Unit. He said State statutes refer to the reserve officers as unpaid volunteers, and as such, they are not allowed to take the part-time peace officers course. Therefore, they would not be licensed and would not have arrest powers. Increases in this budget are due to salaries, and he said the officers in Cass County worked 3,453 hours in 1999. The program has significantly reduced the number of overtime hours in the Sheriff's Department. In reviewing the jail budget, it was noted that the trustee expense line item should be increased to $17,500 because the trustee position recently received a raise in pay from $2 to $3 per day for kitchen and laundry duties they perform within the jail. The education, travel and per diem line item was printed in error and should be $12,000 instead of $1,200. The budget for jail nurse was revised to $137,402 to reflect cost of living increases, which were not included in their initial budget request. Expenditures for prisoner boarding decreased because of the new jail facility, and some alternative housing is anticipated but was not included in the budget. Mr. Ellingsberg will provide a copy of State statutes concerning the Sheriff's allowance for inmate meals.