Sheriff warns of staffing crisis; council discusses $4/hour raise and asks staff for options

Sheriff (S11) told the Owen County Council the jail has lost 18 employees since 2024, including a recent sergeant who left for higher pay in another county. He said the base pay for jailers is about $19.96 per hour and described repeated overtime, certification costs and safety risks that follow high turnover.

The sheriff requested an across-the-board $4 per hour increase for eleven jail positions below lieutenant, an adjustment the sheriff estimated would cost roughly $91,520 in straight wages (about $103,400 when payroll overhead is included). Council members debated funding sources; several suggested using the jail fund (Fund 11.70) and monitoring revenue gains from unfilled positions to offset costs. One member proposed a policy-trigger mechanism to respond to sudden high turnover.

A motion was made to implement the $4/hour increase to be funded from the jail fund, and council members asked staff to prepare detailed cost breakdowns and confirm long-term sustainability before a formal appropriation is processed. The council emphasized the need for a careful implementation plan, including whether other public-safety and dispatch positions should be adjusted to maintain internal pay equity.

The council did not finalize a permanent pay ordinance at the meeting; members agreed to return with numbers and formal appropriation language at a subsequent meeting.