The Marshall County Council members considered an additional appropriation request to help fund a part-time security officer at the courthouse and county building when the regular officers are not on duty.
Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel explained that the money requested would cover a part-time officer to make sure that the grounds are covered.
“My resolution, or quick fix, is to have off-duty deputies and off-duty reserve officers who are working for us as jail officers to get trained and to pick that up,” said Hassel. My long-term solution is to write a job description for a part-time courthouse/county building security officer and someone who is preferably who is a retired law enforcement officer.”
Hassel said a security officer took some time off and there wasn’t adequate coverage in the officer’s absence.
“We didn’t have anyone here then except going back to what we used to do. As they get free over there one of the court officers would come and do a walk-through. There may be somebody in this building (county building) 15 to 30 minutes a day. That’s a big difference from having a person that’s pretty much here all day.”
He added that it’ll take a little time to get the job description together as it needs to go before the personnel committee and the county council for approval. The county’s consultant on job descriptions and wages, Waggoner, Irwin and Scheele, will also have to determine a part-time wage amount for the position.
Until all of that is done, he hopes to use his part-time staff to fill the holes. He proposed $10,000 overtime for the sheriff’s budget which will cover merit deputies and $5,000 in the jail budget which would cover the jail officers. The merit deputies and jail officers would work at the courthouse and county building during their off-duty hours.
Councilman Jon VanVactor asked if the money is an immediate need. Sheriff Hassel said it isn’t an immediate need, but after determining the officers’ time off, this is the amount he will need to cover the costs of his officers on their vacation days.
The county council voted 6-1 to approve the additional appropriation. Councilman Jon VanVactor opposed the motion.
