Kane Co. sheriff gets OK to exceed budget
Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez received a green light to possibly end the year in the red despite repeated statements from Kane County Board members about holding a hardline on budget cuts this year.
Perez told the board's Finance Committee Wednesday he agonized over where to draw the line of staffing, but simply will not agree to any immediate firings or layoffs that would shrink the number of sworn deputies below current levels.
Perez currently has 90 sworn officers, though a resolution approved by the committee Wednesday technically shrinks that number to 87. That is the number board members and Perez believe the sheriff's department must reach to fall under budget this year.
However, the resolution carries no penalty for not reaching the goal, nor a timetable for when Perez is expected to reach a head count of 87. The board specifically said they are not asking Perez to lay off anyone. Instead, they want to gradually work toward the reduction, an approach that opens the door for Perez to blow his budget.
To help avoid that, the committee approved a voluntary early retirement program for sheriff's department employees to coax employees to leave. So far, Perez said, he's only heard of one employee that will take the deal.
The sheriff also applied for a federal grant that would fund the salaries of as many as eight officers. But competition for the grant is fierce, and Perez believes it is realistic to expect funding for no more than three deputies.
He won't learn the fate of his grant application until September.
The resolution for 87 officers approved by the committee only applies to officers with salaries paid by the county so that if Perez receives federal funds for three deputies, he'll meet his budget.
If not, Perez' balance sheet will finish in the red. But he said it would be irresponsible of him to shrink staffing to 87 and jeopardize the safety of the public and his officers in the field.
"I will admit we are still somewhat of a top-heavy organization," Perez said. "Until I get some people at the higher end to leave through attrition, that's how it is. When times are like this, one of the worst things you can cut is public safety."
County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay reminded the committee finances will be worse next year, so now is the time to make hard decisions. She suggested Perez and the county board must think about dramatic changes, such as charging municipalities any time the sheriff's office is called out to their community for SWAT team or bomb squad duties.
"Those are the questions you need to be asking yourself," McConnaughay said. "Can I continue to do business the way I always have?"