The Polk County Board of Commissioners met last Wednesday and reviewed the preliminary budgets from MIS and the Sheriff’s Department.
MIS DEPARTMENT PRELIMINARY BUDGET
The commissioners reviewed Polk County’s technology preliminary budget (MIS). MIS director Levi Webster presented the budget to the board, and the proposed budget included a total budget increase of $26,000 from 2023. The budget also included $469,343 would be allocated toward salaries and wages.
Webster also stated that data processing and software updates around the counties would take a large part of the expenditures, with an estimated $316,175 allocated toward those operations. He also proposed to the board that updated laptops would go to various county departments.
“Our laptops are just a standard model on the state contract,” said Webster, “After four years, we usually replace them. So, it will be a combination of social services, environmental services, and all the departments in the county.” The new laptops installed in the department will come out of the equipment budget and cost approximately $222,752.
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT PRELIMINARY BUDGET
The commissioners reviewed the proposed preliminary budget for the Polk County Sheriff’s Department. The budget included $3,305,372 in total expenditures, which is over $200,000 than last year’s budget.
Polk County Sheriff James Tadman presented the proposed budget to the commissioners and stated they would use $9,000 from the 2023 funds to renew the squad car camera software. Other software updates include annual software renewal for the data pilot police phone. The yearly cost of renewal is approximately $2,000. This technology instantly lets officers acquire evidence data from cell phones and tablet computers.
“It’s putting a new one in there from what he had with our investigation funds for any type of investigation or tools that we need,” said Tadman, “This will be a new tool and add-on, it will be for that phone ripping software.”
Tadman also proposed the purchase of the power phone annual software. This new tool is used for medical emergencies and is a step up in technology from the Rolodex.
“This is for medical issues, so anytime comes in we call up the Rolodex, or anytime someone comes and says ‘my husband having a heart attack, our telecommunicators have a flip chart,” said Tadman, “What they do with that is they end up doing is flip it and it gives them a step by step of what to do. This gives our telecommunicators up-to-date ways information on how to respond to the medical call.”
The budget also included receiving $87,041 from returning their eight leased vehicles to the enterprise. The cars included four Tahoe’s, two Silverado’s, and two Traverse’s.
OVERVIEW OF BUDGET MEETINGS
After the preliminary budget reviews were completed, the commissioners and County Administrator Chuck Whiting discussed the overview of the discussions. They came to terms with the County Levy increase, which sets the limit on the final levy. After discussion, the board agreed on a 4% percent levy increase. That will not finalized until the next board meeting.
Whiting stated that he and the board are pleased with the current budgets. “The board has spent two days going over the department budgets; the department heads did a good job bringing forward their budgets,” said Whiting, “I didn’t see anything I’d consider to be over the top.”
The next Polk County Board meeting will be on Tuesday, September 26.
