Deputy retention issue for sheriff's office

The Foster County Commission learned at their meeting last week of a dilemma happening all across the country; fewer and fewer people are signing up to be in law enforcement.

During the meeting held on Tuesday, September 19, Foster County Sheriff Justin Johnson said, “No one wants to be a cop anymore.”

“Departments everywhere are experiencing this,” said Johnson.

He attended the meeting to ask the commission if he could increase wages for starting deputies and his sergeant Nathan Kruse.

He asked to increase Kruse’s wage by $1 per hour plus 3 percent and set the starting deputy wage at $55,000.

Johnson told the board that the schedule he and Kruse are working now will be “the death of them.”

The board agreed to the increase in wages.

Johnson told the board that this increase would bring the wages up closer to what other counties the size of Foster County are offering.

In other business:

• A long discussion ensued on the county’s fee schedule for easements.

Apparently, when the Wright Bridge was being removed, the construction company, as well as nearby farmers, had to use a trail on a resident’s property to access the bridge as the main road was underwater.

Now that the bridge has been removed, nearby farmers will need to use that trail to access their fields.

That resident is asking for compensation for that trail to be used.

Currently, the fee is $800 per acre for a permanent easement.

In order to meet what the landowner was asking the board had to increase their fee schedule in the county policy.

That fee schedule for easements has now increased to $1,200 for a permanent easement and $600 for a temporary easement.

The temporary easement would be paid by the county using a piece of land temporarily.

The trail in question is almost 3 1/2 acres. No location for the easement was released at the meeting.

• Foster County Auditor Ellen Roundy informed the board that Darlene Thomas, the remote county emergency manager, has resigned her position. Her last day is September 25.

Roundy discussed advertising for the position and making it part-time and possibly combining it with the part-time deputy auditor/treasurer position if the right candidate applied.

No action was taken.

• The county received five bids for the 4440 John Deere Tractor they had for sale. The high bid came in at $28,000 and was accepted by the board.

• The county security plan was updated and changes to the plan were approved by the board.

• There is some confusion over renters in the county’s quonset at Lake Juanita. Commissioners Alan Scanson and David Utke will look into the rental agreements.

• Roundy reported that the server for the courthouse that is located in the basement will be moved upstairs as it is too hot in the basement.

Originally, it was to be moved to the auditor’s vault, but they decided to move it to the treasurer’s vault as it is a straight line from the basement and would require less work to move it.

• The board approved the final draft for the 2024 county budget.