Budget priorities outlined

New hires for sheriff and court clerk discussed by Rogers County Commissioners

Zack Stoycoff Staff Reporter The Claremore Daily Progress Tue Sep 07, 2010, 07:35 AM CDT

CLAREMORE — Rogers County commissioners say helping the sheriff’s office out of its staffing shortfall is a priority as they finalize this year’s budget. But it’s still unclear exactly how much they will be able to help.

“To get people to move to Rogers County and buy a home, their biggest investment, that’s big. We want to make sure they have adequate police and sheriff protection for that home,” District 2 commissioner Mike Helm said. “I don’t see people wanting to come to a place where they don’t feel safe.”

Sheriff Scott Walton said last week his department has only 18 deputies and may be unable to provide basic services without hiring at least four more.

Commissioners say they are considering their options as they touch up a preliminary budget presented to county officers last week. They plan to vote on a final version at their regular meeting Monday, Sept. 13.

It will then go to the county excise board for approval.

“The very first priority I would have to say is fiscal responsibility,” District 3 commissioner Kirt Thacker said. “I agree that the more cops we have on the street, the better. The problem is as commissioners, we have to balance the budget. We can’t put any more deputies on the street if we can’t balance the budget.”

Thacker and DeLozier said it’s too soon to know whether the county can afford to hire more, but Helm said he supports using money carried over from last year’s budget to fill holes.

“I think we need to look at keeping the carryover with the commissioners and prioritize what we spend it on,” Helm said. “Then we have an opportunity to do something incredible, whether it be putting new deputies on the street or something else.”

Thacker and DeLozier want to save carryover money to prevent layoffs next year if the economy sours. That means there’s a fixed amount of money to go around, they said.

“We’re going to have to spread it around because everyone’s going to need something,” DeLozier said. “Public safety is a big issue as everybody knows and I think the sheriff’s office does need more deputies.”

The clerk’s office also needs new hires. The state Supreme Court cut funding for eight employees this year, and Court Clerk Candi Czapansky has asked commissioners to replace them.

All three commissioners said they support giving the court clerk’s office more money if it’s there.

The election board has also asked for another employee.

“You can’t make everybody happy. That’s impossible,” Thacker said. “But we will present a balanced budget to the excise board for approval. There’s nothing more I can say. We will do it.”

Thacker said commissioners are balancing fiscal responsibility with needs of its offices — all while dealing with state cuts that have piled up over two years.

“Equally important to fiscal responsibility is public safety,” Thacker said. “What I’m trying to do is figure out how to make both those things happen.”

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