For months and months now, the city of Luverne and Rock County have been bickering with each other over the subject of who is going to pay what for law enforcement, dispatch, and jail expenses. Since the consolidation of the Luverne Police Department into the Sheriff’s Department this issue has not been a large problem. However, the city and county now find themselves at odds with each other – the city claiming the amount they are being charged is unfair. According to news articles in the Rock County Star Herald, 63.5% (this excludes burn permits which don’t require officers’ time) of the sheriff’s department time goes to the city of Luverne. The city pays for 60% of the total law enforcement budget. Does that seem fair to you? It seems fair to me. This leads to what our city administrator calls the relevant question: "Why do city of Luverne taxpayers pay for 60 percent of dispatch and jail expenses through a ‘special premium tax’ which is part of the current agreement?" (7/15/04) Maybe it is because the city of Luverne takes up over 60% of the department’s time. How are deputies supposed to get to calls in Luverne without dispatchers? Who is expected to answer the 911 calls for medical, fire, or law assistance without dispatchers? What does the city of Luverne expect the county to do with people they arrest within Luverne? Set them free? The city pays more because they use more. I suppose the city could decide to start up the police department again. However, the city administrator, himself, has said, "No one here has complained about services in the sheriff’s department, and, as I’ve said time and again, we have no intention of creating our own department." (7/8/04) On this point, I agree with the city administrator. The Sheriff’s Department has been doing a good job. Reverting back to two separate law enforcement agencies will be disruptive to employees, more expensive for taxpayers, and likely will result in a reduction of services. As a city and county taxpayer the amount the county is requesting from the city is "fair". If the city uses more of a service, then they should be expected to pay for more of that service. Likewise, if the county uses more, then they should pay more. It’s as simple as that. It’s time to move on past the number’s war. What used to be a cordial relationship between the city and county has turned into a tantrum only a two-year-old could be proud of. I can’t help but notice that our city administrator seems to be at the heart of the many controversies that have surfaced lately. I commend his goals in saving the taxpayers’ dollars, but at what cost? Do we end up saving anything when our governmental bodies waste time and energy arguing back-and-forth with each other? Maybe the city administrator can put some more sage advice to use…namely, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." Troy Thone Luverne