Supervisors weigh labor offers as sheriff, ambulance and other staffing drive budget pressure

Board members said they expect the outcome of union negotiations (scheduled for February 20) to materially affect the county budget. The worksheet currently carries placeholder increases—3.57% for elected officials and 5% for most employees—but supervisors acknowledged those figures may change when union proposals are finalized.

The sheriff and ambulance staffing proposals were a focal point. Supervisors noted a variety of compensation issues for deputies and ambulance personnel, including overtime and shift structure. Speaker 2 and others discussed a proposal that would move deputies toward a higher pay point and mentioned a one‑year emphasis on catch‑up increases rather than across‑the‑board multi‑year raises.

The board also talked about the ambulance purchase (a chassis cost of about $200,000) and whether to spread capital purchases across fiscal years or use ARPA funds. Speaker 1 said the county had budgeted for a new chassis and suggested ARPA funds could be applied so the fund balance does not take an extra hit this year.

Next steps: staff will gather more detailed salary models and turnover/overtime projections from department managers (Mike and others) so supervisors can make a firm offer after the union sessions.