Mike Wright
Citrus County commissioners reluctantly backed a federal grant the Sheriff’s Office received in November that could cost millions of unbudgeted dollars.
During a contentious and, at times, confusing 90-minute dialogue with Sheriff Mike Prendergast, commissioners made clear they were not ready to pay the price that comes with a U.S. Department of Justice community policing grant.
The county in May agreed to apply for the grant to hire 44 new deputies over three years. While the grant partially covers pay and benefits, it doesn’t cover overhead — vehicles, equipment and uniforms.
At the time, Sheriff’s officials downplayed the potential of actually receiving the grant award. When the DOJ notified Citrus County in November it had been approved for 43 new deputies, DOJ outlined the costs — $5.3 million in federal money, and $14 million from the county over the grant’s five-year lifetime.
Prendergast made two requests of commissioners: Have the chairman sign the grant along with his office and provide funding to hire 15 new deputies as the first phase of the grant.
Commissioners didn’t seem pleased with Prendergast asking for new hires two months into a budget year.
“Three commissioners voted to increase the budget. People are none too happy about it,” Commissioner Rebecca Bays said. “I thought we went forward in good faith in this budget to give them everything they asked for.”
Hiring 15 new deputies as part of the grant would have cost the county $2.4 million. Suggestions to take the money from reserves, impact fees, or the popular neighborhood road resurfacing budget, found no traction.
As was the case in May when Commissioners agreed to apply for the grant, the sheriff’s request came days before a DOJ deadline and was not part of the board agenda. In both cases, the public had little notice the grant matter was up for a vote.
While they wouldn’t commit any funding to match the grant, Commissioners didn’t want the grant to die, either.
Chairman Holly Davis said she didn’t want to sign the grant documents because it held her legally liable if any of the information was incorrect. Davis said she has no way of verifying sheriff’s office data.
“I read the document. I’m not comfortable signing it,” she said. “It says ‘under penalty of perjury.’ I cannot sign off on documents I do not understand.”
Prendergast insisted the DOJ requires signatures from both his office and the County Commission chairman. County Attorney Denise Dymond Lyn countered that only the sheriff’s signature was needed.
The board’s 4-1 vote authorizes Davis to sign the document should the DOJ confirm this week her signature is necessary. However, the vote allows Davis the choice of signing it or not.
Commissioner Diana Finegan voted no, saying the board should direct Davis to sign the document or not without leaving it vague.
Commissioner Rebecca Bays supported the motion but warned it potentially pushes the sheriff’s budget from $39 million to $50 million before they know it.
“You’re going to drag that out, and every year that budgeted amount is going to go up,” Bays said. “I think we’re way out of our league.”
4 comments
Steven Burch
December 13, 2023 at 8:32 am
I am a retired law enforcement officer and Chief of Police. I have used grants successfully to address community safety needs and meet the challenges of community growth and the increased demand for service. This grant is flawed, as it is too ambitious and comes with a far higher demand on local funds. Grants are a good way to seed the growth required to meet the community’s needs. This grant is not a viable seed, due to a 3 times higher local cost. This was rushed on the part of the Sheriff, coming to the Commission mere days before the application deadline caused this lack of support. As a result, we have this whole fallout between him and the Commission. With proper planning and discussion, a more reasonable grant request that was palatable to the Commission and that meets the needs of the community could have been achieved. I suggest that the Commission stand fast and tell the Sheriff to try again at the beginning of the next funding cycle. This start should include a discussion with the commission, stating his needs to meet service demands and what is reasonable for funding. These discussions should be in public with their input to help all come to a consensus on what is needed and reasonable.
Katherine E Nottingham
December 13, 2023 at 11:12 am
Our sheriff knows better than the commissioners what this County needs. We bring in a highway. Now it isn’t finished properly but soon it will be.
We need more deputies. We need more vehicles. We need better pay and better supplies for our peace officers. I completely and totally stand behind are are sheriff. We are only in over our heads if we don’t grow with the future like the community is growing. Grow our police force. We are already understaffed. They deserve so much better bring our police force to today and into the future. Stop leaving it in the past we are not dinosaurs we are in 2024 almost give us more police support immediately.
Anne E. Rehfeld
December 13, 2023 at 3:48 pm
The “way out of our league” statement is true in the context there is way excessive development that is supported by the commissioners which has put Citrus County in the position it finds itself in now! The demand for public service(Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS), hospitals and physicians have overwhelmed the present available services. Apartments and multiple residential buildings call for specialized didactical & skills trading for fire service. Thus the demand for an increase in Sheriff Department budget, not limited to, increased personnel numbers, continuing education, drills(skills), vehicles(LEO, FIRE, Ambulances & Chief response vehicles). There is an increase demand for funding for today’s communities to provide protection of life and property. Thus, yes CITRUS County politicians have put the citizens in an awkward situation of increased taxes with limited services. Summary, “way out of our league” is more true than meets the eye.
Jackie Thurlow
December 14, 2023 at 9:09 am
Sheriff Prendergast and our Deputies have successfully taken down foreign drug cartel activity in Citrus County. The Sheriff has applied for federal aid to offset the cost of future law enforcement needs. The BOCC needs to step up and support our Sheriff and match the federal grant. We need this money to keep our Deputies safe and give them a fighting chance against the drug cartels that flood our schools and streets with fentanyl and other drugs. Please support our Sheriff and accept the federal grant money.
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