Commissioners approve replacement vehicle, vacation carry-over for sheriff's office

During a special meeting Friday, Bourbon County Commissioners made the decision to allow the sheriff's office to purchase a replacement vehicle. Commissioners also voted to allow sheriff's employees to carry over unused vacation time.

On Friday, Bourbon County Commissioners met with Bourbon County Undersheriff Ben Cole, Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center Jail Administrator Bobby Reed and Director of Security Alvin Metcalf, County Counselor Justin Meeks and Accountant Terry Sercer, who assists the county with its budget.

Sheriff Bill Martin did not attend the meeting.

Commission Chair Barbara Albright told Sercer the reason the commissioners wanted to meet with him is to determine how much money remains in the county's budget.

The sheriff's office needs to replace an older Crown Victoria, which was involved in a cow-car wreck, she said. During a previous meeting, Martin estimated it will cost $35,000 to replace the vehicle.

On Tuesday, Cole said the county will receive $5,000 from insurance on the car, plus the insurance company will pay to have the equipment removed from the car and new equipment installed in an SUV, as well as the decal work.

During past meetings, Martin has said the equipment currently in the older Crown Victoria will not be compatible with the Ford SUV.

"He was thinking if there was any way to do the COPS grant, buy a vehicle for that," Albright said.

The county has been awarded a U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented policing Services grant which, in the first three years, would fund 75 percent of the salary and benefits for an additional deputy. In the fourth year, the county would pay 100 percent of the salary and benefits and in the fifth year would determine whether to retain the position.