Sheriff’s Dept. denied grant funds

The Madison County Sheriff’s Department’s appeal to the Deputy Sheriff’s Salary Supplementation Fund has officially been denied.

The department’s grant, used to help pay deputies’ salaries, was cut this year. The grant is through the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Madison County Sheriff Robert “Bobby” Spain said he went to the meeting in Jefferson City July 2 along with six other counties. All the counties lost their appeals.

“The money was not allocated,” said Spain.

Spain said he was working on the budget currently to keep a full staff.

“We will do our best to keep a full staff and we will do what we can to keep them, Spain said. “We have a good group right now.”

Spain said the grant is for any department where the deputies do not make $28,000. It makes up the difference in salaries. There are about seven counties who were cut from the grant this year. He said he plans on applying again next July for the annual grant, which runs from July to July.

The grant was scheduled to pay $36,367.68 in supplemental income to the Madison County deputies this year.

The fund is generated through a surcharge on services performed by county law enforcement agencies in Missouri. It is used solely to benefit the salaries and increases in benefits such as FICA, Medicare, Workman’s Comp and pensions that result from salary increases. Any Missouri sheriff’s department can apply. The funds are administered by the Missouri Sheriff Methamphetamine Relief Taskforce. This board consists of five county sheriffs as approved by the governor.

Spain also said the department lost money from the U. S. Forest Service earlier this year.

“Their money is drying up,” Spain said. “It was used to help patrol the forest and for meth clean up.”

According to Charlotte Wiggins, media specialist with the U.S. Forest Service, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department has two accounts of money each year to use. Spain signed one contract for the Cooperative Law Enforcement Agreement to patrol the grounds. That contract was worth $2,500 in March 2014 and was approved in April 2014.

The department is also eligble to receive $4,000 to help with methamphetamine cleanup.

However, Wiggins said the Madison County Sheriff’s Department’s account still shows a balance of $2,000 from 2013. She said it must be documented that those funds have been used in order for the department to receive more funds from the U.S. Forest Service.

Wiggins said the forest service did have a 15 percent cut in funding and serves 29 counties, so the counties it serves may not receive as much as they would before. However, she added, if there is a need for the money, and the officers feel the county needs it, it will be shared with the county.

“There is no guarantee to receive the money, but as long as the money from the previous year has been spent the county will likely receive money again if there is a need,” said Wiggins.

Spain said the department is looking at grants for the upcoming fiscal year to help the department out.

Maridee Lawson is a reporter for the Democrat News and can be reached at 573-783-3366 or mlawson@dailyjournalonline.com