Agenda 06-18-19 Item 8-a - Minutes

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15 Sheriff Blackwood said that is a hard question to answer, and he said they allow their 1 employees to work overtime for other entities (e.g.: UNC sporting events), and the overtime pay 2 that goes out comes back to the County from these overtime entities. He said he would make a 3 respectful recommendation to try out 5 new positions first. He said it is his opinion that 10 new 4 positions would eliminate all overtime cost issues, but overtime must be considered in two 5 different categories: what is actually being paid out in overtime hours, and then that which is 6 coming back to the County. He said the County is blessed to have the service of Travis Myren, 7 and while there is a real need for 10 positions, he would like to start with 5. 8 Commissioner McKee said he is okay with that, and he was not accounting for monies 9 paid in accounting for the money paid out. 10 Sheriff Blackwood said the main issue of late is the coverage he is providing to UNC for 11 recent civil unrest occurring there. He said the days have been 15-20 hours long, and the 12 attrition rate suffers under these conditions. 13 Commissioner McKee said he would like a mid year report update on this. 14 Sheriff Blackwood said it would be helpful to split the two overtime costs out. 15 Commissioner Marcoplos asked if the report would hours from things like the civil unrest 16 at UNC. 17 Sheriff Blackwood said when an agency calls for help, the Sheriff’s department goes 18 even if payment cannot be provided. He said there is a payment agreement with UNC athletics. 19 He said a lot of the time there is not time to debate the cost at the time. 20 Commissioner Marcoplos said but since the coverage of the civil unrest coverages is 21 part of this, it should be included. 22 Commissioner Price asked if this is just a spike in overtime due to recent campus 23 activities. 24 Sheriff Blackwood said he cannot predict if this is a trend. 25 Commissioner Price said if 5 new positions can only bring coverage up to current 26 service levels, would it be wise to have 2 more positions. 27 Sheriff Blackwood said he appreciates that thought, but this is a need as of now. 28 Commissioner Price said she wants to know where the need is, and if it would be wise 29 to have more staff to offer some buffer. 30 Sheriff Blackwood said he has a plan, and this meeting may not be the best place to 31 discuss it. 32 Travis Myren resumed the PowerPoint presentation: 33 34 • Communication System Improvements – Sheriff’s Office - $273,250 – p. 61 CIP 35 – Final Year of Multiyear Replacement of Portable and In-Vehicle Radios 36 – Replace Remaining Sheriff’s Office Radios – Approximately 131 Mobile and 37 Portable Units 38 39 Commissioner Greene asked if more explanation could be given about the increase in 40 “average scene time”. 41 Sheriff Blackwood said the way emergency personnel are responding has changed. He 42 said it is no longer feasible to expect staff to arrive, gather names, and leave. He said this 43 approach sets his staff up for a guaranteed return to scene at some point. He said if his office 44 does not take the time to get to the root cause for the call, it is doing a disservice to the 45 community. He said he cannot advocate strongly enough for the community paramedic 46 position, and way of responding has changed. 47 Commissioner Greene asked if law enforcement has changed its behaviors, or if the 48 needs of the community have changed. 49