Sheriff's office, 911 center make case against budget decreases

Commissioner says $1 million in budget cuts won't hurt departments.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Two Trumbull County offices that deal with emergencies defended themselves against budget cuts by Commissioner Daniel E. Polivka.
On Friday, Polivka took aim at the county sheriff's office and 911 emergency center.
Polivka said he's trying to put about $1 million aside because he doesn't want "massive layoffs down the road."
The proposed 2006 general fund budget now stands at $40.9 million, the largest in the county's history.
Even with a $1 million cut, Polivka asserted, departments will still receive "a big increase."
Polivka has expressed concerns about the area's economic uncertainty, especially regarding Delphi Packard Electric Systems' recent announcements of severe economic strains.
Commissioners Paul Heltzel and James G. Tsagaris didn't attend the Friday session. They want to pass the $40.9 million appropriation as is.
The budget proposal calls for an $8.7 million appropriation for the sheriff's department. This is $1.3 million less than the sheriff requested. Polivka wants to cut an additional $210,000.
Sheriff's position
Sheriff Thomas Altiere and Chief Deputy Ernie Cook argued against the decrease.
Even with the $8.7 million appropriation, Altiere and Cook said they wouldn't be able to add patrols to the northern portion of the county.
Cook explained that the department wants to expand road patrols, add two detectives, move 10 deputies out of jail duties and replace them with lower-cost corrections officers and add a training officer and two employees in the civil branch because sheriff sales are behind by nine months.
Both Altiere and Cook asserted they have "done more with less" because of added mandates, such as sexual predator registration and concealed weapons law requirements.
Cook noted that the department isn't taking many reports such as break-ins and that basically the victims of such crimes are going to the sheriff's department to file their own reports.
Also, the sheriff's department and its union are involved in labor negotiations that will increase the staffing costs.
911 center's budget
At the 911 center, Polivka questioned Karen Davies, center interim director, about reducing what is being proposed.
The center was budgeted $1.7 million from the general fund, or about $500,000 more than in 2005.
Polivka pointed out that the center is no longer dispatching for Weathersfield Township since it has been taken over by Niles police.
Niles is also looking at adding McDonald emergency calls to its new center.
Davis argued that the county 911 center dispatchers are being "overwhelmed" with calls because of illnesses and vacations.
She noted that the 911 center is "where it starts" in calling for police, fire and emergency medical services and it is handling more calls for help.
The center has 20 employees and Davis wants three more.
She noted that the employees have been working for a year without a contract and a settlement would add to the cost of operations.
yovich@vindy.com