Will be discussed at Sept. 8 meeting
A pair of Greene County elected officials spoke about the staffing shortage of the Jefferson police department at the Jefferson city council’s regular meeting Aug. 25, while JPD police chief Mark Clouse had no comments on the situation.
Sheriff Jack Williams told council members to expect to lose another JPD officer in the next 30-60 days. That would bring the number officers down to four, making it impossible to schedule 24-7 coverage. A full roster is eight. “We need to start working to figure out how we’re going to maintain 24-7 coverage for the city of Jefferson,” Williams said.
The JPD has lost several officers recently to the sheriff’s office because there’s a significant difference in annual wages between the two departments. The city has struggled to retain officers in recent years, primarily because of its salary schedule. During the meeting, Williams agreed with what council member Darren Jackson reported hearing: that the JPD officers who left would have gone to departments elsewhere if they hadn’t moved to the sheriff’s office.
Williams suggests the city start working with the county now to write a 28E agreement regarding the sheriff’s office serving law enforcement needs in Jefferson. He suggests an hourly rate and covering emergency calls only. He is not suggesting unified law enforcement, which would leave only one law enforcement agency in the county.
Heath Enns was captain in the JPD, second in command. He is the most recent JPD officer to trade a navy blue uniform for a brown one. According to Williams, Enns took a pay cut in making the move to the sheriff’s office. He said he has applications on his desk from two other JPD officers waiting for an opening in the SO.
County attorney Thomas Laehn, also a county elected official, said he was at the meeting on behalf of the county board of supervisors to relay the county’s willingness to enter a 28E agreement. “The county is at the table and wants to work with you,” he said, and added “It’s an inevitability the Jefferson police department will be unable to provide 24-hour patrolling for the city of Jefferson.”
Laehn explained that if the sheriff’s office needs to add staff, JPD officers would mostly likely apply, exacerbating the problem. “You’re on the cusp of a downward spiral that requires urgent action,” he said. “I’m very concerned what the future might hold for the city.”
The two spoke during the open forum portion of the meeting. No action was taken, as it was not an agenda item. A discussion of the police department is on the council’s Sept. 8 agenda. Because it’s listed as discussion, no decision can be made at that time.
The council approved the first reading of ordinances to increase residential water and wastewater rates by 3 percent. A 3 percent increase has become an annual thing and it’s already figured into the budget for the fiscal year that started July 1. “Input costs continue to increase. We need to increase the rates to keep up with the cost of doing business,” council member Matt Wetrich said.
When residents’ comments about water quality were mentioned, Wetrich explained there are times when more chemicals are needed to bring water into safety standards, and that may be what residents sometimes taste. He also noted the city is “at the mercy of what comes into the aquifer.”
Council member Dave Sloan said work on water mains in recent years should improve water quality, and that work is ongoing.
As in previous years, the rate increases include a portion that’s put into a fund for maintenance or upgrade of the plants. Jim Leiding of Bolton & Menk, the city’s engineer, said the state has notified the city of needed upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant. He said meeting the Department of Natural Resources’ requirements for nutrient reduction will require a plant upgrade of $5-6 million. Several figures, with the highest $12 million, were named as the cost of upgrading or replacing the aging plant.
The council also approved the first reading of an ordinance to increase the monthly charge for residential trash collection by $1. The rate has not been increased since 2016. The new rate will be $4.70/month. Wetrich said the increase is needed because of cost increases.
Sloan said the increase is not due to the pair of new garbage trucks purchased a year ago.
The ordinance includes a base fee of $4.75/month for commercial businesses for recycling. Businesses have not previously been charged for recycling.
Mary Kinney, representing People for Animal Welfare Society (P.A.W.S), requested an additional $2,000 in funding from the city. The Covid-19 pandemic made it impossible to hold the annual fundraising garage sale; that event typically adds $4,000 to P.A.W.S.’ coffers. The donations put into collection jars over the holidays were also down, Kinney said, attributing it to confusion with collection jars for the new animal shelter.
The city’s 28E agreement with P.A.W.S. calls for $6,000 annual financial support. City attorney Bob Schwarzkopf advised that changing the 28E agreement would need to be placed on the council agenda to be acted upon.
The council approved $37,741.39 for decommissioning and removing runway lights at the municipal airport as part of the runway extension project. That amount will be reimbursed by the large FAA grant that’s funding the project at 100 percent.
The council approved a $6,000 payment to settle a claim against the city for an injury incurred at the Greene County Community Center last January. The injured person was under the supervision of Genesis Development staff at the time of the incident, Schwarzkopf said. The person’s parents filed claims against both the city and Genesis. The city’s insurer will pay the $6,000 settlement.
