* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READY. GOOD MORNING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WELCOME TO THE SEPTEMBER PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY. WE ARE IN ORDER. THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PUBLICLY NOTICED THROUGH THE CLERK'S OFFICE, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE MEDIA OUTLETS. WE'LL BEGIN WITH A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER AND A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [Call to Order, Roll Call, Affidavit of Posting, A Moment of Silent Prayer, and Pledge of Allegiance] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ITEM TWO A ON THE AGENDA IS REVIEW OF THE MINUTES FROM OUR AUGUST 20TH MEETING. DID ANYONE NOTICE ANYTHING THAT NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED OR AMENDED? SEEING NO COMMENTS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. THE MINUTES WILL STAND AS PRESENTED. ITEM, UH, DISCUSSION, EXCUSE ME. ITEM THREE ON THE AGENDA WITH SEVERAL SUBPOINTS. ITEM THREE, A REQUEST FOR ALLOCATION OF STRATEGIC, UH, FUNDING PRIORITY [Minutes] NOT TO EXCEED 30,000 TO [a. Minutes of August 20, 2025] SUPPORT THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THIS ITEM, SUPERVISOR TOMA, SUPERVISOR [Discussion or Possible Action] BURKE. AND, UH, I BELIEVE DAVE SEGER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC'S CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS HERE FOR BACKGROUND INFORMATION. THANK [a. Request for allocation of Strategic Priority Funding not to exceed $30,000.00 to support the Washington County Humane Society] YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND, UH, DISTINGUISHED COMMITTEE MEMBERS. UH, THIS, UH, REQUEST IS ON BEHALF OF, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT AS, UH, RECOGNIZING WASHINGTON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY AS A GOOD PARTNER WITH WASHINGTON COUNTY. WE'LL DISCUSS MORE LATER ON IN THE AGENDA, BUT THIS IS IN REFLECTION OF THE PAST SIX YEARS AND THE EXPENDITURES THAT THEY'VE HAD TO OUTLAY OVER THE COURSE OF THOSE YEARS. AND, UH, JUST A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO RECOGNIZE THEIR GOOD WORK IN BEING PARTNERS WITH WASHINGTON COUNTY. THANK YOU. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES ITEM THREE B. UM, THIS WILL BE AN INFORMATIONAL ITEM AT THIS TIME ONLY. AND AGAIN, WE TURN OVER TO OUR CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, THIS IS, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DUMPSTERS THAT WERE PROVIDED AT THE UWWC CAMPUS REGARDING THE STATE OF EMERGENCY AND THE FLOODS THAT OCCURRED IN AUGUST. UH, WE EXTENDED THE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THOSE [b. Request use of Strategic Priority Funding not to exceed $20,000.00 to provide constituents a mechanism to dispose of flood damaged belongings] DUMPSTERS WERE GONNA BE OUT AT THAT CAMPUS, AND, UH, IT, IT RESULTED IN, UH, ALMOST 80 30 YARD DUMPSTERS THAT WERE UTILIZED BY THE CONSTITUENCY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. SO IT WAS, UH, VERY WELL UTILIZED IN A GOOD ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES. SO THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM. I, I WOULD TURN IT OVER TO MR. DAHL IF HE HAS ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. OKAY. VERY GOOD. VERY WELL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE. ITEM THREE C, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPDATE AUGUST FLOODING. AND FOR THAT, WE HAVE DUSTIN LOFE HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR REPORT. GOOD, MOR. GOOD MORNING. UH, SO ON AUGUST 9TH, 2025, UM, SEVERAL MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON COUNTY RECEIVED VARYING SIGNIFICANT LEVELS [c. Emergency Management Update – August Flooding ] OF RAINFALL, UH, IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, RESULTING IN HEAVY FLOODING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO PRIVATE HOMES AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS, BRIDGES, AND BUILDINGS. I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT JUST TO RECAP SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF THE DAMAGE. UM, THE COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATED WITH MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES TO QUICKLY PERFORM THEIR LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROCESSES, SUPPORTING THE INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE AND PUBLIC ASSISTANCE LOCAL ASSESSMENTS. UH, WE DID THAT MOVING UP TO AUGUST 21ST AND SECOND. AT THAT POINT, WE PARTNERED WITH FEMA AND WEM TO DO INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE TOURS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, LOOKING AT VARIOUS HOMES, UM, SO THAT FEMA COULD GET THEIR ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTATION. WEST BEND GERMANTOWN AND AREAS OF RICHFIELD WERE THE MOST IMPACTED BY THE FLOODS. UM, ON SEPTEMBER 8TH, WE PARTICIPATED IN THE JOINT PRELIMINARY PUBLIC ASSISTANT DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS, ASSESSING THE OVER 200, UH, ROADS, BUILDINGS, INFRASTRUCTURE PIECES THAT WERE SUBMITTED FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, UM, DAMAGE. SO IT'S JUST SOME PRELIMINARY DAMAGE STATISTICS. UH, MANY [00:05:01] HOMES WERE AFFECTED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. THE TEAMS PERFORMED OVER 900 ASSESSMENTS LEADING UP TO THE JOINT PRELIMINARY IA ASSESSMENT WITH FEMA COUNTY CITIZENS COLLECTIVELY REPORTED DAMAGE UTILIZING 2 1 1 OR DIRECTING REPORTS TO MUNICIPALITIES OR THROUGH THE DAMAGE TEAMS, CANVASSING ADDITIONAL HOMES AS THEY WERE OUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS FOR THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. I MENTIONED OVER 200 POTENTIAL PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROJECTS WERE SUBMITTED VIRTUALLY FOR FEMA REVIEW. TOTAL PRELIMINARY DAMAGE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BASED ON MUNICIPAL ESTIMATING WAS OVER $1.8 MILLION. UM, AGAIN, THAT WAS FROM THE HIGHWAY SHOP FOR ROADS EIGHT MUNICIPALITIES, ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ONE CHURCH LEADING UP TO THAT JOINT PRELIMINARY PA ASSESSMENT ON SEPTEMBER 8TH. UH, TO DATE, WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED, OR THE PRESIDENT HAS DECLARED AN INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION THAT INCLUDES WASHINGTON COUNTY. SO THAT FEMA APPLICATION PROCESS IS OPEN FOR RESIDENTS. AND TO DATE, WE HAVE NO INFORMATION AS TO WHETHER WE'LL RECEIVE THE PA SIDE AS THAT IS STILL BEING, UM, TED THROUGH WOMEN AND FEMA. WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH A FEW OTHER SUPPORTING AGENCIES LIKE RED CROSS SALVATION ARMY. UH, THOSE AGENCIES ASSISTED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY PROVIDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESOURCES, FLOOD CLEANUP KITS, THINGS LIKE THAT. SALVATION ARMY ALSO ASSISTED WITH THE EVACUATION PROCESS DOWN ON, UM, COUNTY LINE ROAD IN THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN SUPPORTING, UH, THE FIRST RESPONDERS WITH REHAB. AND THEN, AS DAVE MENTIONED, WE PLACED SEVERAL DEBRIS DUMPSTERS AS PART OF THE CATEGORY, A, UH, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PIECE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO DROP OFF, UM, DEBRIS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING WELL WATER TESTING KITS TO A FEW MUNI MUNICIPALITIES. SO A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO IS PART OF THAT DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND THE COLLABORATION WITH ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES. AND THAT'S THE UPDATE THAT I HAVE ON THE FLOODING. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE GROUP? MIKE? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, UM, UH, CHAIR, CHAIRMAN, SCHLEI HAS A QUESTION. UM, THE WATER TEST KITS, I THINK THERE WERE 50 AND 50. HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN USED? WHAT'S THE DEMAND BEEN? GOOD MORNING, MR. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN. UH, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT IN THE, UH, NEXT AGENDA ITEM. OKAY, THANK YOU. AND SUPERVISOR NEWMAN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? UH, JUST A COMMENT. UH, I PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETING WITH FEMA AND I, AND I THINK WHEN THE NORMAL PERSON THINKS OF FEMA COMING IN, IT MAYBE NOT COOPERATIVE OR DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH, BUT THAT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD. THEY WERE GREAT PEOPLE TO WORK WITH AND VERY HELPFUL, AND HELPFUL FOR OUR COUNTY AND COMMUNITY. SO I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED IN THE MEETING. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP WITH THAT, TOO. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED WORK ON THIS AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS. THANK YOU. ITEM 3D ON THE AGENDA. NOW MOVING ON TO THE WATER TEST KITS. AND FOR THAT WE HAVE DAVE SAGER. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. UH, TO ANSWER MR. CHAIRMAN'S, UH, CHAIRMAN SCH LIFE'S QUESTION, UH, THROUGH JAMIE VIC'S EFFORT AND HER SHOP, ALONG WITH FAYE FITZ, UH, THROUGH THE STATE OF WISCONSIN DHS, WE WERE ABLE TO PROCURE 100 WATER TEST KITS. UH, 50 WERE DELIVERED TO THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN, AND 50 WERE [d. Information regarding Water Test Kits made available to constituency in the Village of Richfield and the Village of Germantown] DELIVERED TO THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEFIELD. UH, THOSE TEST KITS ARE VERY SELF-EXPLANATORY, VERY EASY TO USE, AND WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEFIELD AND THROUGH THE VILLAGE OF GERMANTOWN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM. TO DATE, I'VE RECEIVED FIVE DIFFERENT, UH, TEST RESULTS, ALL OF WHICH HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE. UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, MS. LUDOVIC WENT TO GERMANTOWN TO PROCURE SEVERAL OF THEM FOR THE COUNTY USE IF NEED BE. UH, BUT, UH, ALL IN ALL, IT HAS BEEN VERY SEAMLESS. AND I WANT TO EXTEND MY, UH, SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF, UH, JAMIE SHOP AND JULIE SHOP AND, AND SCOTT SCHMIDT SHOP ON THAT SIDE. EXTREMELY HELPFUL THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. SO VERY WELL DONE. AND LASTLY, THOSE TEST KITS, UH, ARE FREE OF CHARGE, BUT OFTENTIMES TO HAVE THOSE TEST KITS TESTED, IT COMES AT A COST THAT COST WAS WAIVED. AND I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE VILLAGE OF JACKSON AND THEIR LEADERSHIP. THEY OFFERED TO TEST THOSE KITS THROUGH THEIR WATER TREATMENT FACILITY, BUT BECAUSE THE STATE OF WISCONSIN AND, AND JAMIE'S EFFORTS FA ITS EFFORTS THAT COST WAS LIFTED, AND THE TESTING KITS WERE FREE OF CHARGE [00:10:01] AS WELL AS ALL THE TESTING. SO IT WAS A, A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR CONSTITUENCY. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? AND THANKS TO ALL THE COUNTY STAFF THAT WERE INVOLVED IN COORDINATION AND DISTRIBUTION, APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS AND, AND, UH, WORKING WITH THE STATE AS WELL. ITEM THREE E IS 2025, RESOLUTION RESOLUTION FOR WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT GRANT. THIS WILL REQUIRE A MOTION. UM, THE REQUEST IS FOR A 10% PORTION OF THE GRANT, THE AMOUNT WOULD BE $36,989 AND 13 CENTS. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? WE HAVE, UH, SUPERVISOR [e. 2025 Resolution – Resolution for Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Grant Program Fiscal Year 2026] NEWMAN AND SUPERVISOR KRIEGER. GUNDRY. AND ANY BACKGROUND INFORMATION? IT, IT LOOKS PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY. IT LOOKS LIKE ALL THE INFORMATION WAS IN THE PACKET. YEAH, AT THE LAST, UH, MEETING, WE SAID IT WAS UP TO 750,000. UH, IT WAS, CAME IN MUCH LESS THAN THAT. UM, SO I, I DETAILED ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT IN THERE. AGAIN, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA GET ALL OF THOSE, SO IT MAY BE LESS. THE AWARDS USUALLY COME OUT END OF OCTOBER. THANK YOU. UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ARE THERE ANY OPPOSED? THAT MOTION CARRIES, UH, ITEM THREE F RADIO GRANT FUNDING. AND FOR THAT, UM, WE, MR. SAGER, GOOD MORNING AGAIN. UH, RESOLUTION 66 FROM 2022 IDENTIFIES THE RADIO GRANT PROGRAM THAT, UH, WAS ESTABLISHED IN AN EFFORT THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH. AND, UH, THE, THE RADIO TOWER EFFORTS AND WORK PROJECT THAT'S GOING ON [f. Radio Grant Funding] RIGHT NOW, WE'RE AT A ZERO BALANCE IN THAT RADIO GRANT FUND. UH, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE NEEDS TO ENTERTAIN AND GIVE SOME THOUGHT TO AS CHAIRMAN SCHWAB HAD IDENTIFIED IN LAST MONTH'S MEETING. UH, BUT, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT RADIO GRANT FUNDING, I MAYBE THERE'S, UH, THERE'S SOME DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD AS TO, UH, THE PARAMETERS WITHIN THAT RESOLUTION, UH, GOING FORWARD AS TO WHAT IS APPROVED AND WHAT IS NOT APPROVED TO THAT POINT, UM, CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I DID HAVE DISCUSSIONS, UM, IT'S, IT'S BECOME, THE INTENT OF THE ORIGINAL PROGRAM WAS TO PROVIDE RADIOS TO THE MUNICIPALITIES AND, AND LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS AS NEEDED AS THE COUNTY WAS CHANGING OVER THE RADIO SYSTEM. RIGHT. IT'S BECOME APPARENT THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, UM, MUNICIPALITIES HAVE MULTIPLE RADIOS PER EMPLOYEE, UM, AS NEW PEOPLE WERE ADDED. UM, WE'VE BEEN PAYING FOR THE RADIOS FOR THEM AS WELL. AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT IF SOME OF THOSE COSTS REALLY OUGHT TO BE BORNE BY THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT, WHETHER POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE DEPARTMENT AS THEY INCREASE STAFF, AS OPPOSED TO THAT BEING A COST TO THE COUNTY. SO THAT REALLY IS THE, THE POINT OF THE DISCUSSION. UM, DID I MISS ANYTHING? NO, YOU'RE RIGHT ON POINT, MR. OKAY. UM, IT'S MY OPINION THAT AS WE GO FORWARD, I, I STILL BELIEVE THE GRANT PROGRAM IS IMPORTANT, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT IT ISN'T JUST A, A GIMME THAT, THAT GETS ABUSED, RIGHT? AND WHETHER WE DO THAT BY LIMITING THE SCOPE OF THE GRANT TO EXISTING STAFF OR THE NUMBERS OF EXISTING STAFF, OR WHETHER WE DO IT BY PERHAPS HAVING A COPAYMENT WHERE IT ISN'T ABSOLUTELY FREE, UM, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS AS WE GO FORWARD AND FORMULATE THE NEXT VERSION OF THIS GRANT IF AND WHEN IT'S FUNDED. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? TWO THINGS. UH, I'M IN FAVOR OF A SHARED EXPENSE MOVING FORWARD OF SOME SORT. UM, AND THEN IS THERE ANY, MAYBE THIS IS FOR AARON. IS THERE ANY MONEY BUDGETED IN THE NEXT BUDGET FOR THIS FUND? UM, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE ANY MONEY IN THE NEXT BUDGET FOR THIS. UH, WE WERE SORT OF IDENTIFYING, UM, THE RADIO, UM, PROJECT AS A POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THIS. WE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL CONTINGENCY FUND IN THERE AT ONE POINT. UM, THAT, THAT CONTINGENCY FUND, SINCE, SINCE THE PROJECT WAS DELAYED A LITTLE BIT, WE ARE EATING INTO THAT CONTINGENCY FUND A LITTLE BIT. SO WE HAVE TO KIND OF WAIT AND SEE WHAT, [00:15:01] WHERE WE LAND, UM, IN THE END. BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS IN THE WORKS THERE ON THAT. OKAY. THANKS. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MOVING ON TO ITEM 3G. WE WELCOME THIS MORNING, JUDGE SANDY, GEOFF, THE CHIEF. UM, I'M NOT SURE OF YOUR EXACT TITLES. A PRESIDING JUDGE FOR THE, FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY OR, OR, UH, CHIEF JUSTICE. WHAT IF YOU COULD HELP ME OUT, I'D APPRECIATE IT. UM, THAT WOULD BE A PROMOTION. OKAY. UM, SO WE'LL HOLD OFF ON THAT. ALL RIGHT. BUT, UM, UH, GOOD MORNING. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME, UM, CHAIRMAN SCHWAB, UH, CHAIRMAN SCH LIFE, UH, INTO THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE. UH, I AM JUDGE SANDRA AUTH. UH, [g. Judicial address by Judge Giernoth – Courthouse Security Budget] I PRESIDE IN BRANCH FOUR OF THE CIRCUIT COURT HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. I ALSO SERVE AS THE PRESIDING JUDGE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO I'VE NOT YET HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU THIS MORNING ON THE ISSUE OF COURTHOUSE SECURITY. AND MY PURPOSE THIS MORNING IS VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD. FIRST, IS TO MAKE CLEAR TO YOU THAT, UH, COURTHOUSE SECURITY IS THE SOLE MEANS, UH, FOR PROVIDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COURTHOUSE. AND SECOND IS TO EMPHASIZE THAT ANY CUTS TO COURTHOUSE SECURITY WILL REDUCE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE COURTHOUSE. THERE IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT COURTHOUSE SECURITY PROVIDES SECURITY FOR JUDGES. THAT'S WHAT COURTHOUSE SECURITY DOES. BUT THAT MISCONCEPTION IS INACCURATE. NONE OF THE COURT SECURITY PERSONNEL PROVIDED BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE PROVIDE ANY INDIVIDUAL SECURITY FOR JUDGES. INSTEAD, COURTHOUSE SECURITY SAFEGUARDS EVERYONE IN THE COURTHOUSE. THAT INCLUDES THE PUBLIC LITIGANTS ACCESSING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM ATTORNEYS WHO WORK IN IT, AND COURT STAFF WHO SERVE IT. THESE STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE YOUR COUNTY ATTORNEY WHO HANDLES CHILD SUPPORT MATTERS, WHO HANDLES CHILD PROTECTION CASES AND OTHER MATTERS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT. THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO PROSECUTES ALL OF YOUR CRIMINAL CASES HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY. THE PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE, WHO REPRESENTS INDIVID, INDI, EXCUSE ME, INDIGENT DEFENDANTS IN OUR SYSTEM, PRIVATE ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THEIR DIVERSE CLIENT INTERESTS, PARTIES APPEARING IN COURT AS LITIGANTS REPRESENTING THEMSELVES AND ACCESSING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO OBSERVE OUR PUBLIC COURTROOMS. IN THE 15 YEARS THAT I'VE SERVED AS A SERVED IN PUBLIC SERVICE HERE IN WASHINGTON COUNTY, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT COURT SECURITY PROVIDES IN THE COURT SYSTEM. WHEN A HOSTILE DEFENDANT SHOWS UP IN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THEY CALL COURT SECURITY WHEN PARTIES BREAK OUT INTO A DISPUTE ON THE VERGE OF PHYSICALLY FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER. AND SMALL CLAIMS COURT, YOU CALL COURT SECURITY WHEN SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IS REPORTED IN THE COURTHOUSE THAT CAUSES CONCERN FOR SAFETY. YOU CALL COURT SECURITY WHEN AN INTOXICATED PERSON SHOWS UP IN FAMILY COURT TO HAVE THEIR MATTER HEARD. YOU CALL COURT SECURITY. WHEN A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM FILES FOR AN INJUNCTION OR FILES FOR DIVORCE AND SHOWS UP AT COURT AND NEEDS TO FACE THEIR ACCUSER. THE PRESENCE OF COURT SECURITY ENSURES THE PROCEEDINGS ARE SAFE AND ORDERLY. WHEN A LAWYER SUFFERS A SEIZURE IN COURT, COURT SECURITY PROVIDES FIRST RESPONDER AID TO THAT PERSON IN THE COURTROOM. AND WHEN A JURY RENDERS A VERDICT IN A HIGH CONFLICT AND HIGH, UH, ATTENTION MATTER, COURT SECURITY PROVIDES ESCORT TO THEIR, UH, TO THEIR VEHICLES IN THE PARKING LOT TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WALKED OUT OF THE COURTHOUSE FREE FROM CONFRONTATION. COURTHOUSES ARE INHERENTLY HIGH STRESS ENVIRONMENTS. PEOPLE COME TO COURT TO RESOLVE DEEPLY PERSONAL AND OFTEN EMOTIONALLY CHARGED ISSUES. THE LIKELIHOOD OF CONFLICT IS EXTREMELY HIGH. SOCIETY TODAY IS MORE VOLATILE. PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO ACT ON THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND LESS CAPABLE OF DEESCALATING ON THEIR OWN. I'M TELLING YOU WHAT YOU KNOW, A VISIBLE, WELL-TRAINED SECURITY PRESENCE DOES TWO THINGS. IT DETERS ESCALATION AND IT PROTECTS EVERYONE PRESENT. WE HAVE SADLY SEEN EXAMPLES AND OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHERE INSUFFICIENT SECURITY HAS RESULTED IN VIOLENCE, INTIMIDATION, OR SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION TO COURT OPERATIONS. [00:20:02] COURT SECURITY EXISTS TO PREVENT THESE OUTCOMES. A SECURE COURTHOUSE IS A FUNCTIONING COURTHOUSE. THE COUNTY HAS INCREASINGLY BORN AN UNEQUAL SHARE OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF SUPPORTING THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND THAT IMBALANCE MUST BE ADDRESSED. BUT THE PROPOSED CUT TO COURTHOUSE SECURITY IS NOT A SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM. IT TRADES ONE SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR ANOTHER. THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY DESERVE A COURTHOUSE AND A COURT SYSTEM THAT IS SAFE TO ACCESS. AND I URGE YOU TO VIEW COURT SECURITY AS A CRITICAL INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC SAFETY IN YOUR COURT SYSTEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT MY COMMENTS, I'D BE, UH, HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. THANK YOU FOR, FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR PERSPECTIVE. UM, JUDGE GERDAU WAS, UH, GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO ACCOMPANY ME IN A, IN A, UH, COURT VISIT LAST WEEK. AND, AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE THAT I HADN'T HAD BEFORE, ESPECIALLY THE PERSPECTIVE THAT SHE SHARED RIGHT OFF THE BAT. I JUST ALWAYS HAD IN MY MIND THAT COURTHOUSE SECURITY WAS THERE FOR THE JUDGES. AND, AND THE PERSPECTIVE THAT, UM, SHE HAD SHARED WITH ME PRIVATELY WAS JUDGES ARE ACTUALLY IN A PRETTY SAFE POSITION. UM, IT IS EVERYBODY ELSE THAT, THAT NEEDS THE, UH, AND APPRECIATES THE SECURITY. SO I, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN THAT REGARD AS WELL. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? IF NOT, THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU. ITEM THREE H ON THE AGENDA BUDGET DISCUSSION. AND AARON'S MIC IS HOT. SO WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION. YES. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU. UM, SO YOUR, YOUR PACKETS, UH, HAVE ALL OF THE BUDGET INFORMATION. UM, I WILL COVER, UH, EACH DEPARTMENT BUDGET IN ORDER, UM, THAT, [h. 2026/2027 Budget Discussion Clerk of Courts District Attorney Medical Examiner Public Safety (formerly Emergency Management) Sheriff] THAT'S SORT OF LAID OUT IN THE PACKET. UM, I'LL, I'LL HIT ON THE HIGHLIGHTS. UM, WE GOT 5,000 LINE ITEMS IN THIS BUDGET. I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TOUCH ON EVERY LINE ITEM PER SE. UM, SO THE PACKETS CONTAIN BUDGET BOOK PAGES FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT. UM, IN SOME CASES, THERE'S WHAT WE CALL A CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUEST FORM. UM, CAPITAL OUTLAY IS GENERALLY LIKE A ONE-TIME COST TYPE ITEM WITH A VALUE OF OVER 5,000. IT LASTS MULTIPLE YEARS. UM, WE SORT OF CALL THOSE OUT SEPARATELY 'CAUSE WE FUND THEM ON A ONE-TIME BASIS A LOT OF THE TIME. UM, SIMILARLY, SOME DEPARTMENTS HAVE, UH, FEES, RIGHT? THE USER FEES AND THINGS THAT THEY CHARGE, UM, TO SORT OF OFFSET THE LEVY NEED. UM, WHEN THEY DO HAVE FEES. WE PUT THE FEE SCHEDULE IN THIS PACKET AS WELL, UM, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO, UH, GET YOUR FEEDBACK AND, AND THOUGHTS ON ANY FEES THAT MIGHT BE NEW OR CHANGING. UM, SO WE CALL THOSE OUT SEPARATELY, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU. UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, STOP AFTER EACH SECTION, AND THEN IF THERE'S QUESTIONS, WE'LL ADDRESS 'EM WITH THAT SECTION AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT. FANTASTIC. THAT MAKES SENSE. AND WE DO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT HEADS HERE, SO MY PLAN WAS TO SORT OF HIT THE HIGH POINTS AND THEN STOP, UH, ASK IF THEY HAVE ANY COMMENTS AND THEN TAKE QUESTIONS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. UM, SO WE CAN JUMP IN WITH, UH, THE CLERK OF COURT'S BUDGET TO START WITH. UM, SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS IS THE BUDGET FOR OUR COURT SYSTEM. UM, THERE'S SOME SUPPORT PERSONNEL, UM, YOU KNOW, CAUSE FOR A COURT COMMISSIONER, INTERPRETERS, UM, JURIES AND, AND SUPPLIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME REVENUES IN HERE. UM, THE MAIN REVENUES ARE, ARE CHARGES TO THE PUBLIC, UH, FOR SERVICES, UM, THAT ARE COLLECTED FOR, FOR THINGS LIKE ATTORNEY FEES. UM, THE, UH, COUNTY STATUTORY SHARE OF REVENUE FROM FINES AND FORFEITURES IS IN THIS BUDGET AREA AS WELL. UM, AND, UH, LIKEWISE REVENUE FROM THE STATE, UH, TO SUPPORT THE COURT SYSTEM. UM, JUST SORT OF A GENERAL SUPPORT GRANT, UH, THAT'S ALSO IN HERE AS WELL. AND, AND THIS IS THE PIECE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ABOUT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. UM, THE STATE AND THE COUNTY'S SHARE AND THE COST OF CIRCUIT COURTS. UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE LITERATURE ON THIS ISSUE SAYS, UM, AT ONE POINT THAT SPLIT WAS ABOUT 50 50. OVER TIME, IT'S ERODED TO LESS THAN 25%, UM, BEING OF THE SHARE, UM, BEING BORN BY THE, BY THE STATE. UM, SO COUNTIES HAVE TAKEN ON, UM, A LARGER SHARE OF THIS. THE COUNTIES ASKED THE LEGISLATURE THIS BUDGET CYCLE, UH, FOR ABOUT $70 MILLION ANNUALLY, UM, TO HELP, UH, MAKE THAT SPLIT A LITTLE BIT MORE. EVEN, UM, THE LEGISLATOR PROVIDED $10 MILLION INSTEAD. UM, SO WE WE'RE ASSUMING THAT OUR SHARE OF THAT IS ABOUT 140,000. [00:25:01] SO YOU'LL SEE, UM, THAT BEING ADDED TO THIS BUDGET. UM, THE, UM, THE STATE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL RELIEF, UM, THROUGH SOME LEGISLATION, LEGISLATION, UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO KIND OF RECOVER MORE DOLLARS THROUGH FINES AND FORFEITURES. AT ONE POINT THAT WAS IN THIS BUDGET, WE PRESENTED THAT TO YOU. UM, WE PULLED THOSE DOLLARS, THAT ASSUMPTION OUT OF THIS BUDGET, UM, THE, WE'RE WE'RE STILL OPTIMISTIC THAT, THAT, THAT LEGISLATION PASSES. UM, BUT THE IMPACT OF THAT LEGISLATION WOULD NOT BE FELT, UM, POSSIBLY DEPENDING ON WHEN THE BILL WOULD BE SIGNED. WE MAY NOT EVEN FEEL THE IMPACT OF THAT UNTIL 2027. UM, AND SO THAT WAS, UM, A LITTLE BIT TOO BIG OF A RISK TO JUST ASSUME IN THIS BUDGET. AND SO WE PULLED THAT REVENUE ASSUMPTION OUT WHICH DROVE THE LEVY NEED UP, AND WE HAD TO FIND, FIND THAT ELSEWHERE, UM, AS WE WERE BUILDING THE BUDGET OUT. UM, ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UM, AS I KIND OF ALLUDED TO THIS, BUDGET HAS, IS LARGELY PERSONNEL AND PURCHASE SERVICES. UM, THOSE PURCHASE SERVICES ARE THINGS LIKE COURT APPOINTED, LEGAL REPRESENTATION, GUARDIANS, AD LITEM, THINGS LIKE THAT, UM, THAT WE TRY TO RECOUP THOSE COSTS FOR. UM, THERE WAS A SLIGHT DIP IN 2026, UH, IN THE PERSONNEL LINE. UM, THERE WAS SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HEALTH INSURANCE ELECTIONS. WE SEE THAT FROM TIME TO TIME WITH DEPARTMENTS WHERE IF THERE'S, IF SEVERAL PEOPLE SWITCH FROM A FAMILY PLAN TO A SINGLE PLAN, THAT'S, THAT'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER PERSON THAT IT CAN SWING. AND SO WE EXPERIENCED THAT A LITTLE BIT, UM, IN THIS DEPARTMENT. SO JUST SORT OF A BUDGET TO BUDGET CHANGE, UM, THE, THE EXPENDITURE REDUCTION THERE, UM, JUST OVERALL, UH, HELP TO, UH, REDUCE LEVY IN 2026. UM, AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL LEVY INCREASE IN 2027. AND SO, UM, THAT'S SORT OF A SUMMARY ON THE, ON THE CLERK OF COURTS BUDGET. WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR THE PROGRESS ON THAT LEGISLATION THAT'S OUT THERE. AND WE'LL CERTAINLY, UM, UPDATE YOU AND, AND INCORPORATE UPDATES, UM, TO OUR REVENUES IF WE DO HAVE ANY IN, IN FUTURE, UM, BUDGET REPAIR RESOLUTIONS OR FUTURE BUDGETS OR THINGS LIKE THAT. SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I HAD ON THE COURTS. UM, UNLESS, UNLESS SHERRY HAD ANY COMMENTS OR, OR THERE ARE QUESTIONS, SHERRY, WE MIGHT AS WELL WAIT AND SEE IF THERE'S QUESTIONS. SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE WEEDS IN ALL THESE BUDGETS, BUT WHAT WAS THE REDUCTION IN THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL CHARGES OF 10% PER, UH, LET'S SEE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, I DON'T NEED TO. I I'M SURE I HAVE IT. I JUST, UH, I CAN ANSWER PART OF THAT. SO PART OF THAT WAS A REDUCTION IN THE IT COSTS, UM, WITH SOME EQUIPMENT REMOVAL AND THEN SOME THINGS THAT I HAD PUSHED BACK ON THE BUDGET AS FAR AS, UM, COSTS THAT WE NORMALLY WOULD EXPERIENCE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD IN THAT PORTION NOW UP UNTIL THE CAP COMES FULL FRUITION FOR THE AV EQUIPMENT UPDATE. SO THAT, THAT'S A PART OF THAT, PROBABLY A LARGE PART OF THAT ACTUALLY. WOULD YOU AGREE? AM I RIGHT? IT IS, YES. UM, THERE'S A REDUCTION IN, IN IT COSTS, UM, OUR, IT PROVIDES SUPPORT. CAN YOU, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CCAP MM-HMM . VERSUS OUR IT? YEAH. SO IT DOES GET A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING. UM, IN OUR OFFICE AND FOR THE IT DEPARTMENT, WE GET A LOT OF SUPPORT THROUGH CCAP, UM, LARGELY BECAUSE IT IS STATE EQUIPMENT AND THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN IT DEPARTMENT. UM, BUT SOMETIMES OUR IT DEPARTMENT HAS TO INTERMINGLE ON THOSE THINGS, PARTICULARLY IN THE COURTROOMS FOR COURTROOM ASSISTANCE. UM, SO MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS BEING MY FIRST BUDGET, SO EXCUSE ME, IF YOU WOULD, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE IS SUPPORT THAT IS OFFERED THROUGH OUR IT DEPARTMENT, AND SO WE PAY ON A PER PIECE BASIS FOR THAT. AND IT IS AT A LOWER COST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REPAIRING OR, OR SERVICING, PER SE, THE ITEM IN AND OF ITSELF. BUT OFTENTIMES, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE LAST UPDATE, WHICH WAS A MAJOR UPDATE IN CCAP THAT WE HAD, UM, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR PRINTERS WENT OFFLINE, AND WE COULD NEITHER RECEIVE NOR SEND FAXES. SO IT REALLY TOOK BOTH OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND CCAP TOGETHER TO GET THAT FIXED. AND, AND THEY'RE THE EXPERTS IN THE MANNER, AND [00:30:01] I JUST SIT THERE AND GO, I DON'T KNOW, , I DON'T KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW, THEY WORK TOGETHER REALLY WELL. UM, I'M VERY IMPRESSED MOST DAYS WHEN YOU REALLY CALL THEM AND THEY'RE, YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY WHAT'S GOING ON. IPADS, UH, WE GOT THE JUDGES NEW IPADS THIS YEAR BECAUSE THEIRS WAS QUITE OLDER. UM, AND THE DEGREE THAT IT TAKES TO ALIGN BOTH OF THOSE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, EVEN THOUGH THE IPAD IS OURS, BUT ALL THE FILTRATION HAS TO BE SET UP THROUGH CCAP. SO THAT'S WHY THOSE EXPENSES ARE THERE. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. AND, AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING THAT QUESTION. I HAD, I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL CHARGES THROUGHOUT AND THE CLARITY THAT A LOT OF THAT'S IT. AND, AND JUST INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE VARIOUS, UH, COUNTY DEPARTMENTS IS VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? THANK YOU, SHERRY. IF NOT, THANK YOU. UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. GREAT, THANK YOU. UM, THE NEXT DEPARTMENT IN THE PACKET IS, IS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY BUDGET. UM, SO SOME, UNLIKE THE CLERK, CLERK OF COURTS, SOME DEPARTMENTS, WE BREAK THOSE BUDGETS OUT INTO MULTIPLE, WHAT WE CALL COST CENTERS. UM, AND IN THIS CASE YOU'LL SEE COST CENTERS FOR, UM, THE VICTIM WITNESS, UH, OPERATION OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THEN JUST DISTRICT ATTORNEY PROPER. UM, AND SO, UM, I WON'T COVER TOO MUCH DETAIL IN, IN EACH UH, SECTION, BUT JUST KIND OF WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS, AS A THEME THAT HAPPENS, UM, THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET, IN THIS BUDGET BOOK, UM, SIMILAR TO THE CLERK OF COURTS, UM, THE, THE FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY PROVIDES FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS, IS MOSTLY IN THAT, UH, LEGAL AND OFFICE SUPPORT STAFF, UM, KIND OF SPACE. UM, THE STATE FUNDS, THE COSTS FOR THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND, UM, THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. UM, THERE'S BEEN ONE SORT OF EXCEPTION TO THAT RECENTLY, UM, SINCE THE 2024 BUDGET, THE STATE HAS FUNDED, UH, 0.4, UM, FTE, UH, OF AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY POSITION. UM, IN THE 24 BUDGET, WE ADDED COUNTY FUNDING, UM, TO BRING, BASICALLY TO BRING THAT POSITION FROM A PART-TIME UP TO A FULL-TIME. UM, THAT FUNDING CONTINUES IN THE 26 AND 27 BUDGET. UM, THE COST, UH, TO CONTINUE THIS PRACTICE IS 110,026 AND 120 1027. UM, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, THE STATE MAKES THEIR FUNDING DECISIONS ON THESE POSITIONS BASED ON SORT OF A WORK, A WORKLOAD ANALYSIS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS, HAS SHARED A LOT OF THAT WITH US. UM, AND, AND I THINK WITH THIS GROUP AS WELL. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE THINK THE, THE ANALYSIS, UM, IF THE DATA WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE FRESH, WOULD'VE SHOWED A LITTLE BIT MORE NEED MAYBE FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY. UM, AND SO WE'RE FUNDING, WE'RE FUNDING THIS WITH ONE TIME DOLLARS IN THIS BIENNIUM, UH, IN HOPES THAT, THAT THE NEXT REPORT AND THE NEXT STATE BUDGET ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. UM, AND, AND FUNDS THIS TO THE TUNE OF, UH, AN AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL, UM, ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY. UM, THE, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALSO DID REQUEST TWO ADDITIONAL ADAS, UM, AADA, A MEANING ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UM, THAT WOULD'VE, UH, COST AN ADDITIONAL FOUR TO 500,000, UH, IN NEW COSTS IF IMPLEMENTED, UM, WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAD TO WORK WITH IN THIS BUDGET. WE, THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT AS A, AS A KNOWN REQUEST THAT WAS OUT THERE. AND SO, UM, UM, JUST, JUST SORT OF A NOTE THERE. UM, AND THEN JUST TO SORT OF TOUCH ON THE VICTIM WITNESS AREA, UM, THE, THAT BUDGET CENTER, UM, YOU'LL SEE SORT OF A, A DOWNWARD REVENUE ADJUSTMENT IN 2026. UM, IN THE LAST STATE BUDGET, UM, THE STATE ALLUDED TO FUNDING THE VICTIM WITNESS PROGRAM AT 60% OF COSTS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE BUDGETED. UM, ON AN ACTUAL BASIS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE ONLY GETTING ABOUT 53%, SO WE ADJUSTED THE REVENUE DOWN, WE'RE INVESTIGATING WHY WE'RE NOT GETTING 60, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE BUDGETING BASED ON ACTUALS. UM, THOSE WERE THE COMMENTS I HAD ON THE, THE DA BUDGET. UM, THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? DID YOU HAVE UNSUPERVISED NEWMAN? NO, I'M SORRY. OH, OKAY. NO, I THOUGHT I SAW THE HAND TWITCH UP THERE FOR A SECOND. NO. ALRIGHT. VERY WELL, THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION. GREAT, THANK YOU. UM, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER BUDGET IS THE, IS THE NEXT SECTION. UM, JUST TO SORT OF REFRESH MEMORIES, UM, THIS BUDGET, UM, [00:35:01] WE, WE DID THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT RESOLUTION, UM, SOME FOLKS CALL IT THE BUDGET REPAIR BILL, UM, THAT REDUCED THE LEVY NEED IN THIS DEPARTMENT BY 30,000 IN 2025, SORT OF OFF THE BAT. SO WE KNEW WE WERE COMING INTO THIS, UM, THIS YEAR WITH SOME BUDGET SAVINGS. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THOSE SAVINGS, UM, FROM, FROM BUDGET TO BUDGET IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER SAVINGS I'LL TALK ABOUT HERE. UM, UH, YOU'LL ALSO RECALL THAT 2025, UH, WAS, UH, WAS THE YEAR WE IMPLEMENTED A RESTRUCTURED AUTOPSY SERVICES CONTRACT WITH WAUKESHA COUNTY. UM, WE'RE NOW PAYING SORT OF ON A PER AUTOPSY BASIS WITH, WITH SOME ADD-ONS, UM, UH, WHERE APPLICABLE. PREVIOUSLY WE PAID SORT OF A FLAT AMOUNT TO THEM, UH, WITH AN ANNUAL ESCALATOR. AND SO, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE REALIZING, UM, SIGNIFICANT BUDGET SAVINGS, ABOUT $156,000 FROM YEAR TO YEAR AS A RESULT OF THIS CHANGE. SO, UM, WELL DONE IN THAT REGARD. AND, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY SAVING SOME LEVY. UM, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ADJUSTING THE FEE REVENUE ASSUMPTION IN 2026. THAT'S BASED ON, ON VOLUME. UM, IN 2027, THE FEES ARE BEING ADJUSTED AGAIN, BUT THAT IS AN ACTUAL ADJUSTMENT TO THE FEE AMOUNTS. UM, THE FEE SCHEDULE IS IN THE PACKET HERE. UM, WE'VE GOT 25, 26, AND 27. YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT OF AN INCREASE IN 2027. UM, IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THOSE FEES, UM, YOU KNOW, PLEASE, PLEASE BRING THOSE UP NOW IF YOU, IF YOU CAN. UM, AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A, A, A SLIGHT INCREASE PLAN FOR 2027, BUT, BUT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT DOES SORT OF MONITOR WHAT THE FEES ARE IN THE LANDSCAPE AND IN THE REGION AND, AND, UM, WE ARE NEAR, NEAR THE TOP IN TERMS OF FEES OVERALL. AND SO WE DON'T WANNA MOVE THEM UP TOO MUCH, BUT WE WANT TO REMAIN, UM, REMAIN, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL COVERING OUR COSTS FOR THINGS. UM, SO OVERALL, UM, WITH, WITH THE EXPENDITURE REDUCTION IN THE SLIGHT INCREASE IN REVENUES, UM, THAT IS DRIVING THE LEVY NEED DOWN, UH, IN THIS DEPARTMENT BY ABOUT 157, ALMOST $158,000 IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE BUDGET. AND THEN, UM, AN ANOTHER SLIGHT REDUCTION IN YEAR TWO. THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I'M SORRY. ONE, ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION IS, AT ONE POINT WE, UM, WE SHARED WITH YOU A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH OZAKI COUNTY, THAT, THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE IN THIS BUDGET. UM, WE THINK THAT WOULD RESULT IN TENS, PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF SAVINGS. WE STILL INTEND TO PURSUE THAT. UM, THE ASSUMPTION FOR THAT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THIS BUDGET, UM, SO THAT THAT COULD HELP TO DRIVE DOWN ADDITIONAL LEVY SAVINGS. UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, UM, THE, THE SENSE OF URGENCY MAYBE, UM, DOESN'T SEEM TO BE QUITE THERE, UM, ON, ON BOTH SIDES. SO WE'RE GONNA KEEP THE POWDER DRY ON THIS ONE AND, AND HOPEFULLY CAPITALIZE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE, UH, PRETTY SOON. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST HAD ONE ON THE FEES. UM, ON THE TRANSPORTATION, I'M ASSUMING THAT IS JUST TRANSPORTATION OF A DECEDENT TO THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S FACILITY. UH, AND TYPICALLY JUST WITHIN THE COUNTY, UH, WE HAVE OUR MEDICAL EXAMINER HERE, , SHE'S A THANKS FOR POPPING UP TO HELP US OUT. SO WE CHARGE A ONE-TIME FEE ANYTIME WE TRANSPORT SOMEONE. UM, AND FOR A LOT OF CASES THAT'S A TRANSPORT FROM THE RESIDENTS TO OUR WASHINGTON COUNTY MORGUE, AND THEN A FOLLOW UP TRANSPORT TO WAUKESHA COUNTY FOR AUTOPSY. SO WE DO LEAVE THE COUNTY JUST FOR AUTOPSY PURPOSES GENERALLY. UM, AND SOMETIMES TECHNICALLY WE'RE TRANSPORTING THEM MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THERE IS ONE FEE. GOT IT. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SECTION. THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, UM, THE NEXT SECTION IS, UH, TITLED PUBLIC SAFETY. SO WE'RE USING A BUDGET AREA CALLED PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN, IN, UM, A BUDGET THAT WE'RE, THAT THIS COST CENTER SHOWS UP THIS WAY. PREVIOUSLY THIS WAS CALLED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. UM, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS STILL IN HERE AS ONE OF THOSE SUBSECTIONS. UM, BUT WE'VE ALSO ADDED ANOTHER SECTION FOR THE CHIEF PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER. AND EVENTUALLY WE'LL ROLL IN THE FINANCES FOR THE RADIO SYSTEM WHEN, WHEN THAT GETS SHIFTED OVER AND, AND [00:40:01] THINGS CHANGE ORGANIZATIONALLY. AND SO, UM, WE'VE BUILT OUT THIS SECTION TO KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, BE BE READY FOR FUTURE CHANGES AS WELL. UM, SO TO START WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC SAFETY COST CENTER IS NEW, SO, UH, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T SEE A BUDGET IN THERE IN 2025. AND YOU DO SEE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2026. UM, THE FUNDING FOR THIS, FOR THAT POSITION, UM, WAS PREVIOUSLY IN ANOTHER BUDGET CENTER. SO, UM, WE DIDN'T RESTATE THOSE COSTS, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHY THERE'S NO BUDGET IN 2025. UM, THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, BUDGET CENTER, UM, THERE'S IN SOME EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS ON THE PERSONNEL SIDE THERE. UM, IN PREVIOUS BUDGETS WE HAD 5% OF OUR VETERAN SERVICE OFFICER, UM, THAT PERSON'S TIME BUDGETED IN THIS AREA, UM, AS SORT OF A, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, WORKLOAD SHARING KIND OF OPPORTUNITY, UM, THAT IS BEING SHIFTED OUT OF HERE. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT DRIVING THOSE PERSONNEL COST SAVINGS DOWN. UM, THERE'S SOME SLIGHT DECLINE IN THE, IN THE REVENUE, UM, THE GRANT REVENUE LINES HERE. UM, SO WE'RE CERTAINLY MONITORING THOSE. UM, BUT, UH, THAT, THAT EATS INTO SOME OF THOSE COST SAVINGS DRIVEN ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE. UM, BUT OVERALL, UM, THOSE COUPLE OF CHANGES RESULT IN A LEVY REDUCTION ON THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UM, FUNCTION AND THAT SIDE OF THINGS. UM, ONE THING TO MENTION HERE, IT'S NOT SHOWN ON THIS PAGE PER SE, BUT THE EMS AND FIRE GRANTS, UM, $1 MILLION HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN 2026 TO CONTINUE THESE GRANTS. THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT IS, IS AT THIS POINT SET TO BE OPIOID SETTLEMENT DOLLARS. SO THE BUDGET FOR OPIOID, UH, SETTLEMENT DOLLARS IS IN THE HSD AREA. SO IT'S NOT SHOWING HERE. UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I BRING THAT UP THOUGH AS A, AS, AS A MATTER OF POLICY, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE BUDGET. IT'S A CONTINUATION OF THOSE GRANTS THAT WE PROVIDED IN 24 AND 25. UM, AND, AND 2026 WOULD BE THE FINAL YEAR, UM, OF THOSE GRANTS. UM, AND THEN THE FINAL NOTE I HAD ON THIS BUDGET, UM, WAS THERE, THERE WAS A CAPITAL OUTLAY REQUEST FORM INCLUDED. UM, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF REQUESTS, UM, THOSE, I, I INCLUDED THE FORM, UM, BUT NEITHER OF THOSE REQUESTS WERE FOLDED INTO THIS BUDGET. UM, SO JUST WANTED TO KIND OF POINT THAT OUT. WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON PUBLIC SAFETY IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE ONE OR A COMMENT ACTUALLY. UM, ONE OF THE LOCAL FIRE CHIEFS DID REACH OUT WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, FIRE AND EMS GRANTS AND WAS CONCERNED THAT THAT MONEY HAD NOT BEEN DIRECTED DIRECTLY TO THE INDIVIDUAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS. UM, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GRANTS THAT THE COUNTY HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTING TO THE VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES GO THROUGH THE MUNICIPALITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES DIRECT THOSE FUNDS, UM, AS THEY SEEM APPROPRIATE, NOT UNLIKE WHEN WE HAD, UM, ARPA DOLLARS THAT WE DIRECTED APPROPRIATELY, OF COURSE, BUT SOMETIMES UNDER CREATIVE NAMES, SO TO SPEAK. MM-HMM . FOR ACCOUNTING PURPOSES, UM, I STILL OWE THIS INDIVIDUAL A, A RESPONSE, AND SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT YES, UM, THAT MONEY IS STILL COMING THROUGH, BUT IT, IT WILL NOT GO DIRECTLY TO INDIVIDUAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS, IT WILL GO THROUGH THE MUNICIPALITIES FOR DISTRIBUTION. IS THAT A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING? THAT IS CORRECT. IS THERE ANYTHING, UM, ELSE I SHOULD ADD AS I'M RESPONDING TO THIS INDIVIDUAL? I THINK THAT'S AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT, MR. CHAIRMAN. IT'S JUST, UH, UH, IT'S A GRANT PROGRAM AND IT GETS FUNNELED FROM THE COUNTY AT YOUR PLEASURE AND VOTE TO THE MUNICIPALITIES. WE HAVE 20 DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE SERVICED BY 13 DEPARTMENTS. SO IT'S, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, UH, HOW YOU DIRECT THAT. AND IT MAKES SENSE THROUGH THE SHARED SERVICES THAT THE EXECUTIVE HAS STOOD UP THAT IT'S DISSEMINATED TO OUR SHARED SERVICE PARTNERS IN THE FORM OF THE MUNICIPALITIES. THANK YOU. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR ON THAT. YES, SIR. ANYTHING ELSE ON, UM, PAGE, PAGES SIX AND SEVEN? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. ALL RIGHT, GREAT. [00:45:01] UM, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET IS BROKEN OUT INTO, UH, A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF COST CENTERS, UM, ACROSS MULTIPLE PAGES. UM, I'M GONNA TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, JUST A COUPLE OVERALL COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE OVERALL BUDGET. UM, SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE COSTS IN THIS BUDGET ARE PERSONNEL. YOU KNOW, IT'S A 29 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS EXPENDITURE BUDGET. MORE THAN 24 MILLION OF THAT IS PERSONNEL COSTS. SO 80, 82 ISH PERCENT OF, OF THAT IS PERSONNEL COSTS. YOU KNOW, EVERY DEPUTY'S 150,000, WE GET 61 OF THEM IN THIS BUDGET. UM, THERE'S COST FOR 65 CORRECTIONS OFFICERS, 23 AND A HALF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS, AND THEN ALL OF THE SUPPORT AND COMMAND STAFF THAT, THAT COME WITH IT. SO, UM, SIGNIFICANT PERSONNEL COSTS IN HERE. UM, IN TERMS OF REVENUE, THE DEPARTMENT TAKES IN A, A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUE TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THESE COSTS. UM, SOME OF THOSE REVENUES HAVE BEEN PRETTY VOLATILE SINCE, SINCE COVID. UM, AND, AND THIS BUDGET WASN'T ANY DIFFERENT. UM, THERE WERE SOME REVENUE ADJUSTMENTS IN, IN THIS BUDGET TO THE TUNE OF 400 OR, OR, UM, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 400,000. SO WHEN YOU REDUCE REVENUE DOWN, OBVIOUSLY THAT INCREASES YOUR LEVY NEED AS WELL. SO, UM, SO, SO THAT WAS, UH, ANOTHER, ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN THIS BUDGET. UM, AND THEN THE REST OF THE, THE FUNDING FOR, FOR THIS BUDGET IS TAX LEVY. UM, YOU KNOW, BY 2027, UM, THERE'LL BE 27 AND A HALF MILLION IN PROPERTY TAX LEVY IN THIS BUDGET. UM, IN THE, IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BUDGET, UH, FOR REFERENCE IN 2020, THERE WAS ABOUT 19 MILLION IN LEVY IN THIS BUDGET. SO, UH, EIGHT, ALMOST $9 MILLION OF LEVY SHIFTED INTO THIS BUDGET SINCE 2020. UM, MEANWHILE, SINCE 2020, THE OVERALL COUNTY LEVY HAS REMAINED FLAT. SO THAT JUST SHOWS YOU THAT WE'VE REPRIORITIZED THAT LEVY FROM OTHER AREAS INTO, INTO OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY DEPARTMENT. UM, SO I, I THINK IT SPEAKS TO US LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS AND DIRECTING OUR RESOURCES TO OUR, OUR PRIORITIES. UM, SO MOVING INTO SOME OF THE SPECIFIC BUDGET AREAS, UM, I'LL START WITH PATROL. UM, EXPENDITURES IN PATROL, UH, ARE UP MORE THAN WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE FOR COST TO CONTINUE. UM, THERE ARE, UH, UH, THREE ADDITIONAL DEPUTY POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IN HERE, UM, FROM THE LAST BUDGET TO THIS BUDGET. UM, THOSE ARE FOR THE, THE TOWN OF WEST BEND, UM, PATROL AGREEMENT. UM, AN ADDITIONAL DEPUTY FOR THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEFIELD. UM, THAT'S BASED ON THE REFERENDUM, UH, THAT, THAT PASSED RECENTLY. AND THEN, UM, THE THIRD DEPUTY WAS, UM, RELATED TO THE, UM, THE, THE GRANT THAT FUNDED THE FOURTH, UH, CRISIS RESPONSE UNIT TEAM, UH, OR THE CREW TEAM. UM, SO THREE NEW DE THROUGH THE COST FOR THREE NEW DEPUTIES WILL SHOW UP IN THIS, IN THIS COST CENTER. UM, THE, UM, THE REVENUES, UH, IN HERE ARE ALSO UP. AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE RELATED TO SOME OF THOSE, UM, AGREEMENTS I ALLUDED TO BEFORE. UM, YOU KNOW, RICHFIELD BOOSTED THEIR LEVEL OF SERVICE THROUGH THAT REFERENDUM. THE TOWN OF WEST BEND, UM, IS, IS PAYING FOR HALF OF THAT PATROL DEPUTY, UM, IN, IN SORT OF A SHARED SERVICES EFFORT. UM, SO YOU SEE SOME, SOME REVENUE INCREASES THERE. UM, IN 2027, YOU'LL SEE A REVENUE REDUCTION IN THAT COST CENTER, AND THAT, THAT REFLECTS THE, UM, THE EXPIRATION OF THE GRANT FUNDS THAT FUND THE FOURTH CREW TEAM, THE FOURTH CRISIS RESPONSE UNIT TEAM. UM, THE BUDGET FUNDS THAT FOURTH TEAM WITH LEVY IN 2027. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ALLUDED IN HIS PRESENTATION LAST WEEK TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A UPTICK IN LEVY IN 2027 THAT'S BEING PLANNED. THAT WAS TO MAINTAIN THIS FOURTH CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM. UM, THE OTHER BIG POLICY ITEM, I THINK TO MENTION IN, IN THE, UH, IN, IN THIS BUDGET CENTER IS THAT, UH, PRISONER TRANSPORT COSTS ARE BUDGETED TO, TO REDUCE BY 75,000 IN 2027. UM, THIS, THIS ANTICIPATES A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF TRANSPORTS BEING REQUESTED. WE PARKED [00:50:01] THIS IN 27 IN RECOGNITION THAT THIS IS A LIFT. THERE'S A NUMBER OF STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THIS THAT HAVE TO AGREE TO THIS. THERE'S DISCUSSIONS STILL BEING HAD THAT'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT. UM, AT THIS POINT, WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY SIGNIFICANT DEAL BREAKERS, UM, BUT WE DID PUT IT IN 27. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENS. UM, AND SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 15 OR SO MONTHS TO, TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THOSE PLANS. UM, THE NEXT BUDGET CENTER I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS CORRECTIONS. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THAT'S WHERE WE BUDGET FOR OUR JAIL STAFF AND THE JAIL OPERATIONS. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONNEL COSTS IN HERE. THOSE AREN'T ACTUALLY INCREASING A LOT. UM, FROM 25 TO 26, UM, WE SAW, AGAIN, IN THIS BUDGET AREA THAT HEALTH INSURANCE ELECTION, UM, REALLY HELPED KEEP THAT PERSONNEL COSTS, UH, INCREASED FLAT FROM 25 TO 26. UM, BUT THE BIG STORY HERE IS INCREASED CONTRACTING AND INCREASED CONTRACT COSTS AND LAGGING REVENUES. UM, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS DRIVE UP THE LEVEE NEED BY MORE THAN 900,000 IN 2026. UM, WE'VE TALKED COUPLE OF TIMES I THINK ABOUT THE JAIL MEDICAL CONTRACT. UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, NEARLY $450,000 INCREASE, UH, THAT BRINGS THE, THE OVERALL COST UP TO ALMOST $1.2 MILLION, UM, FOR, FOR THE JAIL MEDICAL CONTRACT. UM, ON THE REVENUE SIDE, UH, HUBER REVENUE, UH, WAS ADJUSTED DOWN. UM, ELIGIBILITY IS DOWN FOR WORKING HUBER. UM, CERTAINLY THE DEPARTMENT IS HERE AND CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT'S, WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE. BUT, UM, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING IS DOWN AS WELL. UM, THE JAIL COLLECTS SOME REVENUE, UM, FOR THE USE OF PHONES BY THE INMATES. UM, THERE'S BEEN AN FCC RULING THAT'S KIND OF BEEN PENDING, UM, THAT COULD CHANGE SOME OF THIS. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT RULE HAS KIND OF, UM, BEEN A LITTLE BIT WISHY-WASHY, BUT, BUT AT THIS POINT, THERE'S A CHANCE IT HAPPENS IN APRIL OF 2027. WE ARE IN THIS BUDGET, UM, PLANNING THAT IT DOESN'T, UM, THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF, OF CHANGES IN THAT, IN THAT LANDSCAPE. THE ENFORCEMENT OF THAT SOMETIMES DEPENDS ON THE ADMINISTRATION THAT'S, THAT'S SEATED AT THE TIME. UM, SO, SO THIS BUDGET, UH, MAKES THAT ASSUMPTION, UM, THAT COULD HAVE AN IMPACT, UH, TO THE TUNE OF, UH, ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. UM, THE NEXT BUDGET AREA, UM, THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IS, IS COMMUNICATIONS. UM, THERE ARE SOME FAIRLY LARGE SWINGS HERE, BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THIS BUDGET AND THE RADIO, UH, BUDGET CENTER. UM, THE, THE RADIO BUDGET BEING ON THE NEXT PAGE, UM, THERE WAS SOME CROSSOVER IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS AND, AND, AND IN THIS BUDGET, IN ANTICIPATION OF US EVENTUALLY MOVING THE RADIO BUDGET OVER TO PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, THE DEPARTMENT DID A GOOD JOB OF SORT OF SEPARATING THE, THE COMMUNICATIONS COSTS VERSUS THE RADIO COSTS. UM, AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME SWING IN THERE FOR THAT. UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU'LL SEE SOME EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, UM, THAT HAVE GONE UP IN RECENT YEARS. YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE GOT MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER BEFORE, MEANING WE'VE GOT MORE EQUIPMENT THAN EVER BEFORE, UM, TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND OUR SHARED DISPATCH. SO, UM, THAT REMAINS ONE OF OUR TOP PRIORITIES. UM, AND, AND WE, WE JUST, WE NEED TO FUND, UM, THE MAINTENANCE AND, AND REPLACEMENT OF THAT NEW EQUIPMENT. UM, THE, AT, AT THIS POINT, UM, STAFFING REMAINS A CHALLENGE IN COMMUNICATIONS. UM, THEY'RE CURRENTLY BACKFILLING A LOT OF THE VACANCY WITH OVERTIME. UM, WE HAVE NOT ADJUSTED THE OVERTIME BUDGET IN THIS AREA. UM, THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE, THE SAVINGS ON THE VACANCIES, UM, WILL FUND THE OVERTIME. I KNOW THAT'S NOT A PERFECT MODEL, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE, THAT RUNNING, RUNNING ON OVERTIME IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FOREVER. AND SO TO BUDGET THAT WAY WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE. SO WE CONTINUE TO BUDGET AS IF WE ARE STAFFED, UM, AND JUST WORKING HARD TO [00:55:01] ACTUALLY DO THAT. UM, THE LAST MAJOR BUDGET AREA, UM, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON IS COURTHOUSE SECURITY. SO THAT IS, UM, ON THE, THE FINAL PAGE OF THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET DOCUMENT. UM, THE BUDGET AREA IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S PEOPLE, THERE'S, THERE'S ONE, ONE COST CATEGORY HERE. IT'S PEOPLE. UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT IN 2027, THE BUDGET REFLECTS, UH, IT'S SHOWING 132,000 ON THIS LINE, BUT, UM, IT'S BASICALLY $150,000 REDUCTION. AND THEN THERE ARE SOME COST INCREASES FOR, FOR, SO THAT INTO THAT 150,000. SO THE BUDGET REFLECTS $150,000 REDUCTION. THAT REPRESENTS A REDUCTION OF ONE FTE, UH, ONE DEPUTY POSITION IN THE COURTHOUSE. UH, WE KNOW THAT DOESN'T COME WITHOUT IMPACTS THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED. UM, AS A REMINDER, WE ORIGINALLY TARGETED $300,000 OF SAVINGS THROUGH, THROUGH COURT SECURITY MODIFICATIONS. SO 150,000 REPRESENTS ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE ORIGINALLY WERE LOOKING AT. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE, THE EXECUTIVE MENTIONED ON WEDNESDAY, UH, LAST WEEK, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING. THERE ARE OTHER LEVIES SAVING OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT ARE SORT OF BEING DISCUSSED IN THIS BUDGET AREA AS WELL. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THE EXECUTIVE HAS MENTIONED THAT, THAT HE'S OPEN TO SORT OF, UM, DISCUSSIONS ON THIS. IT'S VERY POSSIBLE THAT NEXT YEAR AT THIS TIME, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MODIFICATIONS TO THIS BUDGET IN SOME FASHION. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS, WE ALWAYS MAKE SURE WE'RE, WE'RE DO WE DO OUR MID BIENNIUM REVIEW AND WE MODIFY, UM, AS, AS THESE CONVERSATIONS DEVELOP. AND SO I WANTED TO SORT OF POINT THAT OUT, UM, AS, AS WORK THAT WILL CONTINUE EVEN AFTER THIS BUDGET WOULD BE ADOPTED. UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE DOES HAVE A FEE SCHEDULE. WE'VE INCLUDED THAT IN THE PACKET. UM, IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE, UM, PLEASE LET US KNOW. AND THEN THERE'S ONE FINAL PAGE IN THE PACKET THAT'S CALLED SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SPECIAL FUNDS. UM, THIS IS, THIS IS MAINLY JUST TO DISPLAY THE JAIL ASSESSMENT FUND WE USE. THAT'S A, THAT'S A FUND. UM, JAIL ASSESSMENT FEES ARE, ARE BASICALLY A, A A, A PORTION OF EVERY FINE THAT'S COLLECTED GOES INTO, UM, A FUND FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE JAIL. UM, WE USE THAT FUND, UH, WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. AND THIS PAGE BASICALLY REFLECTS THE PLANNED USE OF THAT FUND WITHIN THE CIP. UM, IT, IT, THERE'S BEEN NO CHANGES FROM THE CIP THAT YOU APPROVED, UM, EARLIER THIS YEAR. SO THIS BUDGET PAGE JUST REPORTS THAT INFORMATION. UM, THOSE WERE MY COMMENTS ON THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BUDGET, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, THE SHERIFF AND, AND HIS STAFF HERE AS WELL THAT CAN HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M GONNA SUGGEST THAT WE START, UM, OUR PACKET IS PAGES ONE THROUGH 13. I'M GONNA SUGGEST THAT WE START ON PAGE EIGHT, WHICH IS THE FIRST OF THE SHERIFF'S SECTION, AND, AND WORK OUR WAY THROUGH, UM, IN THAT MANNER, RATHER THAN TRYING TO BOUNCE BACK AND FORTH. I THINK IT MIGHT BE A LOT EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO FOLLOW. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE EIGHT, WHICH COVERS SHERIFF ADMINISTRATION TRAINING, SERVING PAPERS, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS? WOW, THIS MIGHT BE EASIER THAN I THOUGHT. LET'S MOVE TO PAGE NINE. PAGE NINE, COVERED PATROL, VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, CORRECTIONS, COMMUNICATIONS, AND SPECIAL FORCES UNIT. ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE CATEGORIES? I I HAVE A QUESTION. PLEASE. DOES THIS BUDGET INCLUDE THE PERSONAL SQUADS FOR EACH? HAS THAT BEEN INFORMATION? YES, IT, YES. SO THE, THE BUDGET INCLUDE AND THE CIP, UM, THE LAST COUPLE OF CIPS, UH, HAVE INCLUDED THE TAKE HOME SQUAD, UM, PROGRAM. UM, WE'RE SEEING, WE'RE SEEING MAYBE A, A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTICK IN TERMS OF VEHICLE MAINTENANCE JUST BY HAVING MORE CARS. UM, I DON'T EXPECT THAT [01:00:01] TO BE A TREND. I THINK IT'S JUST A, A NEW NORMAL. UM, BUT OVERALL, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK IT'S GOING AS PLANNED. CERTAINLY THE, THE SHERIFF COULD COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL. BUT, UM, THAT, THAT IS IN THIS BUDGET, ARE THOSE PURCHASED THROUGH, UH, CAPITAL PURCHASES OR OPERATING BUDGET? IT, IT WOULD BE, UH, U THE USE OF SALES TAX IN THE CIP. AND IN THAT NOTE, UM, I HAVE HAD HAD CONCERNS IN THE PAST ABOUT TAKE HOME VEHICLES FOR, UM, DEPUTIES AND, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL. UM, I'VE SINCE COME TO UNDERSTAND FROM VARIOUS INSURANCE COMPANIES, UM, AND, AND, UH, MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT ACTUALLY DOES LOWER COSTS BECAUSE WHEN INDIVIDUALS HAVE A CAR THAT THEY CONSISTENTLY DRIVE, THEY ARE MORE CONSISTENT WITH MAINTENANCE, THEY ARE MORE CONSISTENT WITH, UH, CLEANING AND CARE. AND OVERALL, UM, I'M TOLD THERE IS A REDUCTION, SO MM-HMM . IT WORKS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING AS WELL. ANYTHING ELSE ON PAGE NINE? MOVING ON THEN TO PAGE 10, WHICH COVERS COURTHOUSE SECURITY AND RADIO SYSTEM. UM, AGAIN, COURTHOUSE SECURITY. WE'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ALREADY, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? IF NOT, UM, OH, SUPERVISOR TOMA. UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA REDUCE SECURITY BY, IS THAT $150,000? CORRECT. UH, THAT, THAT ONE I, 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECURITY THAT WE NEED. WE NEED TO PRETTY MUCH INCREASE OUR SECURITY, NOT DECREASE OUR SECURITY. I, I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT REDUCING THAT BY, I'M ASSUMING ONE PERSON. IT'S ONE PERSON, CORRECT. THAT, THAT ONE I HAVE DIFFICULT WITH BECAUSE OF THE, THE INCREASE OF SECURITY THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, NOT DECREASING IT. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE ON IT, IS THAT WHERE WE NEED TO BE LOOKING TO REDUCE SOMETHING? IS THERE NOT SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE COULD LOOK AT? UM, THERE CERTAINLY IS. UM, AND WE, UH, I MEAN THIS, WE, WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING. THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS PRESENTED. UM, WE CAN, UH, WORK TOGETHER. IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO DIVE INTO OTHER AREAS OF THE BUDGET TO TRY AND FIND COST SAVINGS, WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK TOGETHER TO DO THAT. UM, WE CAN, UH, UH, IN, IN OCTOBER, UH, AT, AT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, I PLAN TO ARTICULATE THE OPTIONS FOR, UM, TAX LEVY, IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE, THE GROUP WANTED TO HEAR AND CONSIDER AS WELL IN, IN THAT BUDGET. SO, UM, NUMBER OF OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THAT. UM, I THINK SPECIFICALLY TODAY, THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO KIND OF DO HERE. UM, AGAIN, AS WE, AS WE LOOK AT THE, UH, THE BUDGET PRESENTATION WE HAVE BEFORE US, THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS DISCUSSION IS SO THAT COMMITTEE MEMBERS CAN RUMINATE ON THINGS AND, UH, GATHER THOUGHTS, GATHER MORE INFORMATION, AND, UH, REALLY TO COME WITH INFORMED INPUT AS THE BUDGET PROCESS CONTINUES. THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT POINT. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND, AND YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD CATEGORIZE THIS AS YOUR, YOUR INTRODUCTION TO YOUR PART OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT EXPECTING YOU TO HAVE A SOLUTION TODAY IRONED OUT, PER SE, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK TOGETHER ON ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND IDENTIFYING ANY, ANY SOLUTIONS YOU'D, YOU'D WANNA LOOK INTO. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I THINK THAT SUPERVISOR NEWMAN, GO AHEAD. I THINK THAT WE, I MEAN, WE CAN'T SUSTAIN THIS FOR FOREVER, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, FROM 20, WAS IT 2020? I DON'T REMEMBER THE YEAR TO DATE. SHIFTING $8 MILLION IN OUR LEVY TO A, YES, A VERY IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT, BUT SOMEONE ELSE, AND SOMETHING ELSE IS HURTING FROM THAT AND ABSORBING THAT. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE CAN SUSTAIN KEEPING THE LEVEE FLAT. I MEAN, AT SOME POINT SOMETHING'S GOTTA CHANGE. MM-HMM . THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? [01:05:06] MOVING ON TO PAGE, UH, 11, I, MAYBE IT'S JUST IN MY COPY, BUT, UM, THE USER FEES ARE THERE LISTED FOR 20 AND 26, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THE DESCRIPTIONS MAY HAVE GOTTEN, HAVE GOTTEN CUT OFF WHEN THAT PRINTED. SO IF WE COULD GET A REVISED COPY AT SOME POINT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. SURE. WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. IT'S ALL RIGHT. IT HAPPENS. UM, GOING ON THEN, PAGE 12, NOTHING THERE. PAGE 13, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SPECIAL FUNDS, ANYTHING, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT SECTION? ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OVERALL, CHIEF OF PUBLIC SAFETY, MR. SAGER? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I JUST HAVE, UH, SOME, UH, CLOSING COMMENTS AS, AS, UH, WE COME TO THE END OF, UH, THE INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDGET SHEETS OF EACH OF, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY. UH, I, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO EXTEND A SINCERE APPRECIATION TO MR. DO, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS SO COMPREHENSIVE. LIKE HE SAID, THERE'S 5,000 DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS WITHIN THIS BUDGET, AND THAT IS SOME SERIOUS EFFORT ON HIS BEHALF AS WELL AS MARTY HALVERSON. UH, IN CONJUNCTION, UH, UH, TO SUPERVISOR TOMAS QUESTION REGARDING COURTHOUSE SECURITY. UM, JUST JUST TO INFORM EVERYBODY ON, ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, UH, THIS, THIS PORTION OF THE EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET HAS BEEN, UH, TAKEN TO THE, UH, NEWLY FORMED, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL. UH, WE HAVE MET TWICE IN REFERENCE TO THIS PROPOSED PORTION OF THE EXECUTIVE'S BUDGET. AND QUITE FRANKLY, UH, JUDGE AUTH WAS EXCEPTIONAL IN HER, HER, UH, PREPARATION AND DIALOGUE AT THAT MEETING. UH, UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, UH, SHERIFF SHOUL HAS BEEN, UH, DETAILED TO MANAGE A HEAVY PORTION OF THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND TRYING TO FIND SOME MECHANISM TO SAVE DOLLARS INSIDE THE PROPOSED BUDGET. AND HE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY AND VERY HARD TO TRY AND ACHIEVE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UH, GET THROUGH FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL THE OTHER THINGS HE DOES AS SHERIFF. SO, JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, THE CJCC IS, UH, WORKING VERY HARD AT TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVE AS PROPOSED BY THE EXECUTIVE. ANYTHING ELSE ON THE, ON THE BUDGET DISCUSSION? SHERIFF, WERE YOU EXPECTING TO, UH, TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? UH, JUST IN, I, I LIKE TO SPEAK GENERALLY TO THE BUDGET, TO THE PROPOSED BUDGET. PLEASE DO. YES. AND THEN, UH, INDIVIDUALLY DRILL DOWN TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS YOU HAVE WHEN, UH, WHEN I'M ABLE TO VERY WELL. GO AHEAD. SO, UM, THIS, UH, HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY CHALLENGING, UM, BY ANY BUDGET. I THINK THE GENTLEMAN TO MY RIGHT WOULD ATTEST TO THAT. UM, IT, UH, UM, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO IMPRESS UPON THE, THE COMMITTEE HERE IS THAT A VAST MAJORITY OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU IS JUST THE CONTINUING OF OPERATIONS. UM, THE, OUR PAYROLL, IT WENT UP, UH, AT $1.5 MILLION. OUR IS BUDGET WENT UP 390 SOME THOUSAND DOLLARS. OUR JAIL, UH, MEDICAL WENT UP $400,000. SO THAT'S ABOUT $2.3 MILLION OF EXPENSES THAT, UH, THAT ARE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. UH, WHAT I ALSO WANTED TO, TO, TO DO IS, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO KNOW THAT THE, THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES BUDGET, AND NOT NECESSARILY THE BUDGET THAT I PROPOSED TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. UM, AND, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS KIND OF GO THROUGH JUST IN FAIRNESS TO, TO WHAT I PROPOSED, UM, AND, UH, AND WHAT WAS REMOVED AND SOME OF THE THINGS I DON'T OBJECT TO AT ALL. UM, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT I THINK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD PROBABLY HEAR. PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU. SO THE, THERE'S, THERE'S REALLY ONLY, UH, FOUR OR FIVE THINGS THAT WERE ACTUALLY CHANGED, UM, FROM THE ORIGINAL SUBMITTED BUDGET. UM, AND, UH, AS I SAID, THE, THERE'S ONLY TWO OR THREE THINGS THAT IS ACTUALLY NEW IN THE BUDGET AND WE CAN DRILL DOWN. THAT'S REALLY, THEY'RE REALLY NOT REAL SIGNIFICANT COSTS. UM, BUT THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO ADJUST, UH, TO ADJUST RA RATHER, UM, WAS IN 2023, UM, I HAD PROPOSED ADDING ANOTHER DETECTIVE TO OUR MAJOR CRIMES UNITS. UM, AND THAT WAS INITIALLY IN THE 24 25 BIENNIUM BUDGET. AND THROUGH DISCUSSIONS, UM, AND UNDERSTANDING THERE'S SOME FISCAL LIMITATIONS, UM, THAT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BUDGET IN 2020 FOR THE 2024 BUDGET. AND, UH, UM, WE THOUGHT WE COULD MAYBE REVISIT [01:10:01] THAT IN THE 26 AND 27 BUDGET, THIS CURRENT BIENNIUM, UM, AND UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S $162,000 IN TOTAL WAGES. I UNDERSTAND THAT IS, UH, THAT IS A BIG ASK, A BIG LIFT FOR TAX LEVY. UM, SO THAT WAS REMOVED IN, UH, THIS BIENNIUM BUDGET AS WELL. UM, UM, LIKE I SAID, I I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, UM, IT IS THE ONE AREA OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT WAS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE CRIME PLAN B PROPOSAL. UH, WE ADDED, WE ADDED RESOURCES TO EVERY DIFFERENT DIVISION OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, EXCEPT FOR, UM, OUR MAJOR CRIMES DIVISION. BUT LIKE I SAID, I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY. UM, THE COURTHOUSE SECURITY STAFFING REDUCTION, UM, UH, SO THAT IT'S NOT ONLY, UM, THE, THE ONE FULL-TIME POSITION, THERE WAS ALSO A REDUCTION OF $17,000 IN THE POOL WAGES, WHICH IN ESSENCE IS A SPECIAL DEPUTIES. UH, AND THAT'S, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A KIND OF A SMALL, A DOLLAR AMOUNT. UM, BUT, UM, WHAT THAT, UH, EQUATES TO IS, UH, UM, WE HAVE ABOUT $230,000 IN THAT SPECIAL POOL FUND FOR SPECIAL DEPUTIES. UM, AND THOSE ARE TYPICALLY RETIRED DEPUTIES THAT HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE THAT HAVE DECIDED TO WORK. UM, AND YOU PROBABLY SEE THEM AT THE COURT SCREENING STATION. THAT'S WHERE THEY, THEY TYPICALLY WORK. UM, UH, THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, IS A LITTLE HARD TO SWALLOW JUST BECAUSE EVENTUALLY WE ARE GONNA BE ASKED TO PERFORM MORE HOURS OF SERVICE, I'M GUESSING, FOR SECURITY SCREENING FOR BOTH THE JUSTICE CENTER AND THE THE GOVERNMENT CENTER. UM, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT MATH WORKS OUT, UM, THAT THAT'LL BE A, A VERY MUCH OF A CHALLENGE. UM, IN FACT, UM, I WAS GONNA PROPOSE, UM, IN FACT ADDING THAT $17,000 BACK AND THEN ADDING ANOTHER 57,000 TO IT TO BRING THEM UP TO THE WAGES OF A NORMAL RECRUIT DEPUTY, UH, BRAND NEW GREEN DEPUTY. THAT'S WHAT WE PAY THEM. UH, SPECIAL DEPUTIES MAKE, UH, 75% OF THAT WAGE. AND WHAT I, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS TO BRING THEM UP TO, UH, THE SAME PAY RATE AS A PARK MAINTENANCE WORKER IS REALLY WHAT, UH, WHAT I WAS, UH, UH, IN, IN TIER TWO OF OUR PAY PLAN. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING, WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOME FISCAL PROBLEMS WITH THAT. UM, THE, THE FULL-TIME POSITION, UM, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE WERE, WE'RE VERY COGNIZANT OF TAX LEVY DOLLARS AND THE BIG LIFT THAT WE HAVE WE'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST TAX LEVY BUDGETS IN THE, THE COUNTY. UM, AND, UH, UM, WITH, UH, THE STAFFING LEVEL THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW, UM, WE ARE AT A, IF YOU AVERAGE IT OUT, WE ARE AT 1.25 DEPUTIES PER CIRCUIT COURT, AND IT'S MUCH MORE THAN THAT. UM, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A COMPARISON, UM, THE STAFFING LEVEL IN WAUKESHA, RIGHT, OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH, THEY ARE AT 1.8 DEPUTIES PER CIRCUIT COURT. THEY HAVE MORE, MORE CIRCUIT COURTS. THEY HAVE 12 CIRCUIT COURTS, 22 DEPUTIES. UH, WE HAVE FOUR CIRCUIT COURTS AND FIVE, UH, AND FIVE DEPUTIES. UM, SO THE, UH, UH, SHERIFF, I MEAN, UH, JUDGE AUTH VERY ELOQUENTLY INDICATED THE, THE, UH, THE, THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY THAT GOES ON IN THAT, IN THAT JUSTICE CENTER. UM, TYPICALLY LAST YEAR WE HAD 40,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT WALKED THROUGH THOSE AT SCREENING STATION. WE HAD ABOUT 4,500 SECURITY REQUESTS THAT, UH, JUDGE AUTH GAVE SOME EXAMPLES OF. THAT'S NOT, NOT INCLUDING THE, THE, WHERE WE HAVE IES IN COURT, THOSE ARE JUST SPECIAL REQUESTS FOR SCREENING. SO THAT, THAT PARTICULAR STAFFING LEVEL WOULD BE VERY, VERY HARD TO DEAL WITH. UM, AND SO MY, MY OTHER, THE OTHER OPTION THAT I HAVE IS, I KNOW THE, THE, THE CUT WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS COURTHOUSE SECURITY. UM, BUT I, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SWALLOW THAT. I, I VERY LIKELY IF THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS, I'D PULL A DEPUTY OFF THE ROAD AND, AND BACKFILL IT JUST BECAUSE, UM, WE, WE CAN'T HAVE, UH, STAFFING LEVELS, UM, GO BELOW WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO IS MY, MY BELIEF. UM, THE OTHER, UH, GAMBLE THAT THE, UH, AARON MENTIONED WAS THAT, UH, THE INCREASE IN REVENUES, UM, WITH THAT FCC RULING, UM, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, WE ADJUSTED THAT IT WAS ADJUSTED DOWN ABOUT $95,000. I'M A LITTLE HESITANT THAT THAT IS GONNA BE IMPLEMENTED AND WE'RE GONNA FAIL SHORT ON THAT. UM, THAT PRISONER TRANSPORT REDUCTION THAT HE MENTIONED THAT, UM, THAT PART OF THAT COURTHOUSE SECURITY SAVINGS, THAT THAT 75,000, UM, WAS A PART OF THAT. SO, UM, THOSE ARE, I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS FAIR FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO KNOW WHAT I SUBMITTED AND WHY I SUBMITTED IT. AND, AND, UH, I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT, UH, UM, THAT THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY IN THE POT THAT, UH, TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS WELL. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THOSE TO OUR ATTENTION. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF FROM THE COMMITTEE? [01:15:04] THANKS AGAIN. ALRIGHT, THANKS. APPRECIATE IF THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS ON, UH, ITEM THREE H GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. ITEM FOUR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONVENE SESSION PURSUANT TO, UM, WISCONSIN STATUTE'S 19.85 FOR DELIBERATIONS REGARDING THE WASHINGTON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY MOTION. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM SUPERVISOR NEWMAN, SECOND FROM SUPERVISOR TOMA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? [Closed Session] ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION? UH, WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR NEWMAN. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. [a. Entertain a motion to Convene in Closed Session Pursuant to §19.85(1)(e), Wis. Stats., Deliberating or negotiating the purchasing of public properties, the investing of public funds, or conducting other specified public business, whenever competitive or bargaining reasons require a closed session. Specifically: Contract with Washington County Humane Society] [01:53:08] FORWARD [01:53:08] YOUR [01:53:09] THOUGHTS [01:53:09] ON [01:53:09] THE [01:53:10] BUDGET? [01:53:11] WE ARE ADJOURNED. [Open Session] SORRY, , GET, TRY TO KEEP [Next Meeting Date] [a. October 15, 2025] [Adjournment] COMMENTS ARE PUT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.