Sheriff asks supervisors to set aside year‑end surplus for radios, phones and sidearms

Sheriff Tyson Pogue told the Board of Supervisors his office expects to return an unanticipated year‑end surplus and asked for conceptual support to have administration set aside that surplus for critical public‑safety infrastructure.

Why it matters: The sheriff framed the request as a public‑safety imperative: deputies operating in remote areas rely on radios and reliable dispatch phone systems as their primary lifeline. He said radio reception suffered after FCC narrowbanding and that reliable vehicle data and voice coverage is essential to officer safety and emergency response.

Details from the hearing: Pogue asked the board to provide conceptual direction so administration can create a fund‑balance designation after the fiscal year closes and staff can verify the surplus. He estimated the sheriff’s unexpected surplus at about $1.5 million to $1.9 million and said the requested designation would not change the budget in front of the board today; it would be drawn from surplus funds above what was already projected during budget preparation.

Pogue described three priority uses: replacing sidearms that are roughly 10 years old and showing wear; upgrading the county’s radio connectivity (he cited equipment and narrowbanding issues that have reduced reception in rural areas); and moving the sheriff’s phone system to a redundant VoIP configuration to reduce outages. He said one option for improving reach in remote terrain is equipping vehicles with Starlink terminals that create a local data network, allowing mobile computers and radios to communicate where cellular coverage is poor. Pogue also emphasized a careful procurement process, saying rushing purchases at fiscal‑year end would risk poor equipment choices and unfavorable pricing.

Administration and several supervisors voiced support for the concept, and finance staff explained their conservative revenue estimate process: April actuals are used to prepare budgets and the final surplus is only certain after closing the books in August. Officials said they expect to return to the board with a formal designation item after year‑end verification.

What happens next: The board gave conceptual support and asked staff to return after the books close with verified surplus figures and a formal proposal for fund designation, including estimated costs and procurement timelines.