Commissioners, SCSO discuss budget solutions

WALLACE –– The Shoshone County Commissioners met with administration from the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday to discuss how they planned to overcome a $605,000 budget shortfall.  

During the meeting, Undersheriff Lance Stutzke challenged portions of the presented budget, while explaining how, under the current proposed budget, the SCSO would have to make numerous cuts that could affect the long-term viability of the department.  

The potential cuts included courthouse security, a detention deputy, both school resource officer positions, and a dispatch position. The department would also cut its reserve budget from $75,000 to $15,000.  

After hearing the proposed cuts, and Stutzke’s other frustrations with the budget, brought up the potential of increasing the county’s levy to help gain some ground on the situation.  

This idea was challenged by Commissioner Jeff Zimmerman, who openly refuted the idea of a tax increase, even if it meant “kicking the can down the road.”  

Speaking on behalf of Sheriff Holly Lindsey, Stutzke was frank about the situation if substantial cuts are required.  

“We do less with less,” Stutzke said. “We can’t do more with less.”  

Zimmerman’s biggest concerns surrounded the pay matrix utilized by the sheriff’s office and how salaries and wages are outpacing revenues. 

“Your pay matrix is not going to work,” Zimmerman said. “You’re gonna have to slow down on it. The county can’t afford that matrix. We’re not saying we start cutting your pay, but what we’re saying is we got to slow down. We can’t outspend what we have, even raising taxes is not gonna cut it.”  

Zimmerman is correct about raising taxes as the levy increase would only generate $240,000 of the $600,000 needed.  

To that point, Stutzke rebutted that he understood Zimmerman’s concerns, but argued that, even in a tough economy, not properly funding law enforcement could be disastrous. 

Commissioner Tracy Casady agreed with Dose’s thoughts on increasing the levy and Dose then pivoted into seeing if there were other avenues that could be taken to reduce the shortfall.  

Ultimately, the suggestions included a levy increase, cutting one open detention position from the budget earmarked for $70,000, and then using roughly $300,000 in grant funds to cover the SCSO’s budgeted lease agreements and salaries.  

This would bring the department out of the shortfall for 2024 but wouldn’t remove the problem altogether as the county would still have to find new revenue sources to cover the line items that are being for through grants when next year’s budget is completed.