Sheriff’s deputies may not see pay boost from state funding

Money from a state fund that provided a small amount of funding to pay St. Charles County Sheriff’s deputies may not be available later this year. And county officials have continued to criticize the fund, saying the county isn’t receiving benefits commensurate with what it pays in.

Sheriff Tom Neer said earlier this month that the competition may be stiffer for funds from the State Deputy Sheriff Salary Supplementation Fund. The fund was set up statewide to help the pay of sheriff’s deputies.

Money for the fund comes from a $10 fee charged statewide for delivering civil subpoenas, writs, summons and other papers.

Earlier this year, the St. Charles County Council approved a $65,332 grant from the fund that will provide some pay for veteran deputies starting this month through June.

Neer said the officers with less than five years of experience will receive an additional $42 a month, and officers with more than five years of experience will receive $67 a month.

But the payments would stop if the county doesn’t receive another similar grant, Neer said.

Because the state is on a different budget year, Neer could only receive a six-month grant.  He hopes to apply for a 12-month grant that would start July 1, although he expects strong competition around the state for the money.

In all, 65 of Missouri’s 114 counties applied for and received some funding. Fifty counties did not apply – a situation that may not happen again, Neer said.

Among the state’s largest counties that didn’t apply for funds and may apply for a grant available July 1 are St. Louis, Boone, Clay,Franklin, Greene, and Warren.

County Executive Steve Ehlmann had opposed the bill when it was enacted and unsuccessfully challenged it in court, saying proceeds fee should have stayed with the county.  According to a chart on the fund provided by the county, the county has paid in $515,400 since it was enacted and only received $65,332.

The county isn’t alone in the amount of funding it has paid in only to see a small return. Thirty counties and the city of St. Louis each received less than 50 percent of the amount each paid into the fund. Another 34 counties received more than 50 percent of the amount they paid into the fund.

St. Louis County has paid in $3.6 million but didn’t file an application and received nothing for this fiscal year, according to the chart. The city of St. Louis has paid in $1.22 million and received $130,016. Greene County, which includes the city of Springfield, has paid in more than $790,000.

Even though its not as much money as the county wants, the $65,332 is a small boost for veteran deputies.

The 2012 county budget did include the first salary increase for all county employees in three years.  All county employees will receive includes a 1 percent increase for nearly all county employees next year. Employees may also get a 2 percent merit increase.

But Ehlmann vetoed budget provisions that would have provided an additional one-time $1,250 salary increase for 85 deputies with 120 or more months of service.

Sheriff’s deputies have complained about salary “compression” with veteran officers receiving pay close to less experienced officers.  County officials say compression is a problem for many county employees. They say they are looking at ways to boost salaries.