Sheriff, Commission Reach New Budget Deal

April 26, 2018

The Escambia County Commission and Sheriff David Morgan have reach a new budget mediation agreement that will mean an extra $9 million over the next four years for staff pay raises.

“We are pleased that we can start the process to pay our deputies and employees what they were worth all along. We’d like to thank the citizens who stood behind the Sheriff’s Office through the appeal process. We are hopeful that the BOCC will begin a plan to properly fix compensation for their own first responders and employees as well as develop a way to ensure the County never again gets this far behind in proper compensation for the employees it is responsible to fund,” Morgan said.

The $9 million is broken down as:

  • $1 million in fiscal year 2018
  • $2.5 million in fiscal year 2019
  • $2.6 million in fiscal year 2020
  • $2.9 million in fiscal year 2021

The agreement will also create a Sheriff’s Mediated Reserve (SMR) to be used in fiscal year 2020 or after for workers compensation, pension and health care costs. The county and the sheriff will contribute a total of $2.5 million to the reserve fund — $500,000 in fiscal year 2019, $1 million in fiscal year 2020 and $1 million in fiscal year 2021.

The SMR can only be used by the sheriff if the BOCC increases their budget allocation for health care costs for each employee by more than $10,000, if there is a net increase to the amount the sheriff contributes to the Florida Retirement System, or if the sheriff has a worker’s compensation premium increase in fiscal year 2020 or 2021.

Once an interlocal agreement is signed by both parties, the sheriff agrees to drop his budget appeal to the governor’s office. The BOCC has retained the right to seek to enforce a previous mediation agreement in the event an interlocal agreement is not signed.

Unlike a previous agreement, the new terms to not require the BOCC to use commissioners’ discretionary funding for outside agencies  or Law Enforcement Trust Fund money as a funding source.

The new agreement will prevent the sheriff’s from appealing future budgets to the governor, allow him to request funding for additional positions in fiscal years 2020 and 2021, and the sheriff will be allowed to require additional operational or capital funding.

Pictured: Gov. Rick Scott and Escambia County David Morgan during a meeting October 5, 2017, at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center concerning then Tropical Storm Nate. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

22 Responses to “Sheriff, Commission Reach New Budget Deal”

  1. Roni Kitzinger on April 30th, 2018 12:50 am

    Think bout ur husband was deputy will you want him paid mores protect our town these guys our serve our town protect us from bad peoples round here y’all want getting mad bout our deputy’s budgets I will support mine deputy’s round here sit here give up there life for us keeping us safe out there why y’all Getting mad bout budgets . Thank you all y’all do escambia country sheriff officers thank you keep me safe while sleeping night

  2. Me again on April 29th, 2018 5:57 pm

    I may be wrong and if I am sorry. Didn’t they a while back
    supposedly get money for raises but hardly any, if any, went to the patrols? Or am I remembering wrong? I wish the BOCC wold have specifically designated how much to go to patrol officers not admin, civilian, and management personnel

  3. Roni Kitzinger on April 29th, 2018 1:48 am

    Our Deputy’s deserve be paid mores then they do they have family take care bills pay just like y’all do deputy’s got cheated of their budgets they are take time protected y’all this how y’all thank escambia country sheriff officers y’all sure be shamed y’all self acting like this I will support mine deputy’s anytime go green Love y’all guys take care out there

  4. Roni on April 28th, 2018 4:05 am

    Bout time our deputy’s get paid mores sent protect our town thank escambia country sheriff . Keep good work I always support mine deputy’s trying keep us safe out there thank again sheriff Morgan

  5. j. godwin on April 28th, 2018 1:04 am

    when are they going to reestablish the funeral escort? we live near the navy base and it has been very aggravating and sad for the families that need this service to bury their loved ones, as well as the folks that are involved in the traffic near the funeral cortege. they never should have done away with it in the first place. think about this at election time.

  6. Insider on April 27th, 2018 9:49 pm

    Unfortunately very little will of this budget increase will actually go those protecting the streets. Anyone with common sense can see the disparity between “Senior Administration” and “boots on the street” Sadly if you the tax paying citizen expect to see an increase in police presence and/or patrols in your neighborhoods, you will be very disappointed.

  7. put money where mouth is on April 27th, 2018 9:29 pm

    @ Phil – why don’t YOU put your money where your mouth is.
    1) If you live in Santa Rosa county as you implied. SHUT UP! 2) if it bothers you so much, apply for a job as a Esc Co Deputy, get hired, if you qualify & can pass the physical, & background checks and find out what really goes on instead of just flapping your gums. 3) may be you should “walk a mile in their shoes” aka the working deputies & support staff here and see the reality not your PERCEPTION. 4) Move from Escambia County if your such a tight wad. 5) Encourage BoCC to use the money they like to spend on ECAT on 1st Responders instead.
    I am not a “Sheriff” fan, this one or the prior one, nor a BoCC fan, have worked for the department & have 25+years, am not a deputy and can honestly say the Deputies, work very hard for their money day in and day out.
    (the workers, NOT upper administration/management and over paid PIO & staff & over paid HR D.ishonest Brazwell)
    What you seem to Perceive in your 5-10 mins or even a day of observation is not reality.

  8. Doanie Ashby on April 27th, 2018 3:03 pm

    To bad the budget is so misappropriated that officers salaries are used as leverage to keep Morgan’s administration top heavy. The poor tax payer suffers. The sheriff’s department is way to costly and full of pork. Please do not respond with negativity if you or your family receive financial gain from the department as you have a bias to support the ongoing madness.

  9. Copper on April 27th, 2018 1:05 pm

    I have never been a fan of Morgan. Never voted for him. We have good Sheriffs and bad in my years. To me a good Sheriff or Chief takes good care of his workers, you know, the ones that are actually doing the job. Rightfully compensated, happy Deputies are good for this community. So Kudos to Morgan for taking care of his workers. Hopefully, Chip won’t ruin it like he did in the city. And, get ready for twelve hour shifts boys.

  10. Phil on April 27th, 2018 12:54 pm

    So these ECSO deputies living in Sata Rosa county are somehow saving the tax payer money driving them home every night. That’s the tax payers truck, not yours. I take issues with a lot of what you are trying to convince me of, but will not bore the others on here with them.

  11. Esc co leo on April 27th, 2018 10:02 am

    @ Phil

    Deputies taking the cars home actually saves money. Studies have been done at multiple agencies nationwide in this topic. Keeping the cars assigned to an individual Deputy results in the Deputy taking better care of the car because it is “theirs”. Also, keeping them at the office and swapping from one shift to the next (also called hot-seating) leads to excessive wear and tear on the car. Plus with take home cars you have the Deputy able to respond to emergencies at any time, including to and from work, and to have the visibility of the car in the neighborhoods where they live.

    In the long run itnsaves money. Deputies are still driving 2012 Tahoes with 120,000 + hard driven miles and hours upon hours of idling.

  12. Phil on April 27th, 2018 9:42 am

    How much money could have been saved for new deputies if we stop letting them take these tahoes home every night. There are all kinds ways to cut back and save, but why would the sheriff do that when he can just pitch a fit for more money.

  13. Mr. Metoo on April 27th, 2018 9:14 am

    Thank BOCC and Sheriff Morgan. Now let’s get those funeral escorts North end patrols back. Services and coverage have been held hostage and the ransom drops have been arranged. Now release the hostages Sir Morgan.The Mexican Mafia would be proud.

  14. Willis on April 27th, 2018 7:48 am

    Gald the Sheriff is about to be gone.

    Hopefully the Officers will see a raise .

  15. Meg on April 27th, 2018 1:07 am

    The Bocc would rather their own pockets grow far larger, and let the hard working men and women of this county suffer for their gain. All of Escambia county employees are far underpaid 10,000 to 20,000 a year underpaid while the bocc gives money away to non-profit organizations rather than taking care of their own. It’s sad. I over heard a public saftey employee say she makes less than 30,000 a year. Fast food workers make that at
    chick-fil-a-fil

  16. Sage2 on April 26th, 2018 6:33 pm

    As a resident in Escambia County since 1965, I’ve seen many sheriffs come and go!

    As in a product or service, you generally get what you pay for.
    In this matter, I’m glad an agreement/settlement has been reached.
    Regardless, David Morgan is the Chief LEO of Escambia County and should be funded in an appropriate manner and by appropriate means.

    If you need assistance from the sheriff’s office, you surely don’t call for help from Spiderman!

  17. Bob C. on April 26th, 2018 5:12 pm

    WELL, we keep hearing that Money is not the Issue in Retaining and Hiring Deputies.
    This agreement, if properly adhered to, will be the Proof one way or the other.

    Maybe this will help end the friction in OUR County and help things be better for all of us.
    Hopefully the silly and self-uplifting and EXPENSIVE billboards will end and the budget trim out some of the high-heeled fluff.

    BTW, BoCC, How’s that New Jail coming? Seeing some trailers, crane and most importantly a Port-A-Potty on the property. Any good news about that project?
    Cannot believe there are still folks doing business in the strip mall there. WOW.

  18. Jenny on April 26th, 2018 5:00 pm

    So how’s that talking point “zero based budget” working for you,Morgan supporters? Just another 3 x campaign fib, that sounded good!

  19. Copper on April 26th, 2018 4:32 pm

    In plain English. Good for the working Deputies. They are underpaid and overworked in this area. The Morganteers take most of his budget along with his ridiculous billboards and me me me tv shows. The BOCC did the right thing.

  20. Fred on April 26th, 2018 4:20 pm

    Matt. That’s easy. This will be paid for by either of the following popular methods
    Cut services elsewhere, but the money will have a “handling fee” ie pockets.
    Raise taxes just a smidge, politicians go to method since it’s “only tax money”

  21. SMH on April 26th, 2018 2:48 pm

    Thanks BOCC,for rewarding bad behavior!

  22. matt on April 26th, 2018 2:23 pm

    Can someone put this in plain English so that I can understand it.