Sheriff's first budget negotiations become confrontational with commission

An initial discussion on next year's budget for the Johnson County Sheriff's Office got off to a combative start Thursday afternoon, with Sheriff Calvin Hayden saying he would not tolerate challenges to its operations, the commissioners insisting that they had to ask questions to ensure their budgetary control. and a small display of Hayden supporters speaking out of turn often enough to be reprimanded twice.

The sheriff's office was the first to present its financial needs during a series of meetings between the county board of commissioners and department heads. At meetings, commissioners typically hear a department's successes and challenges and often, arguments for additional resources that might not be covered by the budget they envision for 2025.

After a presentation from sheriff's budget director Brian Seidler, Hayden set a stern tone for commissioners about the direction he thought the meeting should take.

“I am responsible for what we do at the sheriff’s office, how we operate and how we conduct ourselves,” he said. “We are not a department. We are a separate office. We are not here as a department to answer questions about how we do things. If you have any questions about financing, I will answer them. But anything that gets into the weeds of my department, you're not allowed there.

Commissioner Chairman Mike Kelly countered that because the office has the largest share of funding from ad valorem taxes, the commission has the right to ask questions.

“This is an opportunity for us to ask questions about the budget. Some of that could come into use,” Kelly said. “If you don’t want to answer, I certainly can’t force you to answer.”

The Commission and the Sheriff have been at odds for months

The commissioners and Hayden have been at odds in recent months, including over Hayden's long-running investigation into election procedures and a speech at a right-wing rally in which he called some commissioners communists , to name just two of these questions.

Late last year, commissioners also questioned a sheriff's request for additional funds for body cameras and other equipment. The request was made after the 2024 budget had already become final, and commissioners said they preferred the needs be met through the regular budget process rather than a late request for additional money. However, they ultimately approved it.

Absences are a recurring problem for the sheriff's office

The county manager's proposed budget reviewed for 2025 puts Sheriff's Office expenses at $119.6 million, an increase from the $114.3 million currently budgeted. Among the proposed spending for next year, $71.7 million would come from property tax support, $40.2 million from the public safety sales tax and $7.72 million from non-tax revenue. tax.

The commissioners and Hayden spent much of their time discussing overtime and staffing needs. About 80 percent of the sheriff's budget is spent on personnel, with medical, mental health and food needs accounting for another 10 percent, according to the sheriff's presentation.

But overtime remains a problem, Hayden said. His office requested 10 detention deputies, at an ongoing cost of about $1.3 million, to deal with the absences.

Without the additional officers budgeted for, Seidler said Sheriff's Office staff may have to come back once again to ask for more money for overtime.

“Basically we're just being asked to be realistic” about the need for additional staff, Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara said.

Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick asked Hayden what planning methods he was considering to reduce overtime. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do,” she said. “Oh yeah, you are,” Hayden replied.

Hayden said his office has done “everything we can do to get the most bang for the buck” for taxpayers.

“I just wish those were listed,” Hanzlick responded.

About a dozen people were in attendance, apparently in support of Hayden, although there was no public comment period. There were several outbursts, with a woman interrupting to say, “Our sheriff is between us and you.”

The audience was twice berated by Kelly, who threatened to have them escorted from the room unless they stopped being disruptive.

Budget meetings are informative and no action has been taken. They will continue, along with the budget open days, until the committee votes on its final budget on August 29.