Lancaster County Council amends FY27 budget to add public-safety raises, detention staffing and extra transit funding

Lancaster County Council voted on the evening of the meeting to amend the county's FY27 operating budget to address public-safety staffing shortfalls and local transit needs, approving a bundle of operating additions and pay adjustments after several hours of public comment and internal debate.

The council's final package included funding to hire correctional staff and booking clerks to open and staff the county's new detention facility (the sheriff requested stepped staffing and training), a half-year of additional EMS staffing tied to proposed new stations, a half-year staff attorney for the sheriff's office, a full-time clerk for the auditor's office, and a coroner office staffing adjustment. Council also approved an additional $100,000 for the Lancaster Area Ride Service (LARS). To balance recurring costs the body approved a 5% pay increase for public-safety groups (sheriff, EMS, fire, emergency management, coroner) and 4% for other employees, and moved forward with a 1.5-mill increase to county operating millage as part of the funding package.

Why it matters: Council members framed the changes as responses to immediate operational gaps. Speakers during the public hearing warned that EMS and fire staffing have not kept pace with rapid population growth in the Indian Land panhandle and elsewhere; Barbara Scanell urged a sustainable funding plan that tied fees to property size, while Sheriff Fail told council he needed up-front detention officers so new hires could complete training and be ready by January. Public commenters representing the Council on Aging also said LARS ridership and matching-grant opportunities hinge on county support.

Key details and decisions:
- Detention staffing: Council approved funding to bring on detention officers and booking clerks to staff the county detention center. The sheriff requested staggered hires to allow academy training and onboarding; staff estimated the incremental recurring cost as part of the FY27 package.
- EMS staffing: Council agreed to fund EMS staffing at a half-year level for FY27 to phase hires into service as stations come online.
- LARS (Lancaster Area Ride Service): Council added $100,000 in operating funds to the Council on Aging's LARS transit program; LARS leaders and board members said county matching funds unlock additional federal dollars and preserve routes that serve seniors and residents without vehicles.
- Raises and pay-floor: Council endorsed a 5% increase for the public-safety group and 4% for other employees; earlier proposals had ranged from a 2% across-the-board minimum up to a $17-per-hour floor and larger raises for public safety. Staff noted the different scenarios'costed between about $2.4M (the original net-neutral package) up to $3.2M or more for the larger proposals; the adopted package blended increases with operational choices to remain fiscally manageable.
- Funding sources: Finance staff explained the county's adopted approach uses $6.44M of projected new revenue for FY27 (spread across operating and one-time items), some fund-balance appropriations for one-time capital needs, and a reallocation of debt mills to county operations to generate recurring revenue. Council also approved minor one-time fund-balance adjustments and removed a proposed $125,000 compensation-study line (to be reconsidered later).

What council members said: "We're growing and we have to staff for that growth," one council member said while urging action on detention and EMS hiring. Sheriff Fail told the board hiring must start early to allow training: "They really won't be any good to me till January, you know, once I get them hired," he said, asking for half of the requested sworn detention officers up front. Council members repeatedly debated fairness between public-safety and non-public-safety raises, with members urging either a larger across-the-board increase or prioritizing compression relief for lowest-paid staff.

Next steps: The council set a special meeting for midweek to finalize line items and will adopt final budget and third reading on the announced adoption date. Several one-time capital items and the final millage language will be refined in follow-up documents before final adoption.

Sources: Council meeting public hearing and budget presentation (county finance staff Jamie and Sabrina), public commenters including Barbara Scanell, Sheriff Fail, and Council on Aging board members.