By Sara StrongThe city of Luverne formally proposed changes to Rock County regarding how it thinks law enforcement should be funded.The county’s budget for law enforcement and dispatch services includes the assumption that the city of Luverne will pay half. The city has disputed the charge, saying that Luverne residents already pay the county directly for the services through their county taxes, and that an additional charge isn’t fair.The county says Luverne residents get a premium service and use more of the Sheriff’s Department time than other parts of the county.City’s proposalThe city of Luverne just forwarded this proposal to the county for 2005 law enforcement and dispatching funding, which would save city taxpayers $360,000:
Dispatch would be funded on the basis of county taxes only, which means city residents would pay 18.95 percent of the bill.
Duties that dispatchers do now, such as working with private alarm companies, probably wouldn’t fall under their job descriptions without a separate contract with the city.
For law enforcement, the city proposes that inmate expenses be removed from the general Sheriff’s budget because that cost isn’t directly associated with Luverne. The inmate costs, including medical expenses, would be a part of a separate "law enforcement support services" under the city’s proposal.
The expenses of the investigator would be removed from the sheriff’s budget and be made a part of the separate "law enforcement support services" budget as well.
Annual expenses associated with "bailiff and matron" services would be removed from the sheriff’s budget and be made part of the "support services" budget too.
Law Enforcement Support Services operations would be funded only through county taxes.
City and county would review inmate costs on a rolling three-year average and determine if adjustments are necessary in the funding formula.
For sheriff costs, the city would pay the county an hourly rate based on the cost per hour associated with patrol activities. Such a rate would include wages, fringe benefits, supplies, capital expenditures and overhead. The city payment would equal the hourly rate multiplied by the number of patrol hours contracted for each year.
The proposal asks that the city and county establish a contingency fund to account for unanticipated expenses, of $25,000 per year until a maximum balance of $100,000 is reached. All expenditures from this account must be approved by a majority of the representatives from each party to the city-county liaison committee. This fund would be paid through regular county tax collections, with no separate fees or contributions from the city.County’s rebuttal The county and city will discuss it at a July 7 meeting, but the Rock County Commissioners looked at the city’s proposal Tuesday.Commissioner Richard Bakken said, "I don’t see any use in trying to develop something new. … It’s worked before and I think it will continue to work."Rock County proposed to the city that the contracts of all joint operations return to what they were last year, including the Pool and Fitness Center, dispatch and law enforcement.County Administrator Kyle Oldre said the board will have a difficult time accepting the city’s latest proposal.He said, "To make up the lost money, that’s a 12 percent levy increase, just for the law enforcement and dispatch. That’s not considering other budget increases we’re facing next year. … Law enforcement and dispatch are only about 10 to 15 percent of the county’s total budget."Recently, the county proposed a joint sheriff and dispatching budget since it couldn’t recoup funding losses from the city of Luverne canceling dispatch. Rolling the budgets together was seen as an underhanded move by the city and attorneys are discussing its merits.County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said it is odd that the city is expecting the same service for less money.He said, "Cities have, ‘in history and practice,’ provided a different level of service than a sheriff’s department provides to every area."Board Chairman Bob Jarchow said that although the city residents pay 18 percent of the county’s tax collection, they get more than 18 percent of the service.Jarchow said, "Are they saying they need the same service as a tract of land out in the county?"Commissioners said that if contracts can’t be agreed upon, services and personnel likely will be cut.The city of Luverne retained special legal counsel to give opinions on what services the Sheriff’s Department would have to provide to city residents if the contracts are not settled before they expire.
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