LINCOLN COUNTY – With a sharp decline in the number of federal inmates housed at the Lincoln County Jail, Sheriff Rick Harrell is convinced his department is on the brink of a financial crisis.

Consequently, for the second time in a year, county commissioners placed a half-cent sales tax on the April ballot that would double the amount of tax revenue the department receives.

“We as a community don’t have a choice,” Harrell said of the sales tax proposal, called Proposition Safe Community. “We have to do something, now. We’ve needed it for 20 years. If we don’t do something now, then the safety and security of everyone’s home and families are in jeopardy.”

If approved by a simple majority of voters at the April 8 election, the sales tax would generate an additional $4 million in tax revenue earmarked specifically for the sheriff’s department.

The department currently collects a half-cent sales tax and the $4 million generated accounted for about half of the $7.8 million revenue in 2024.

Most of the remaining $3.8 million, or $2.3 million, came from housing federal inmates, a source of income Harrell called highly unreliable.

“You can’t predict it,” Harrell said regarding the number of federal inmates. “It (federal money) should be used as a blessing the community can use as a resource. Not as an operating fund.”

The numbers of inmates reflect Harrell’s concerns.

As recently as 2018, the jail housed an average of 106 federal inmates every day. That number decreased to 79 in 2024, or 24 percent.

Today, there are 58 federal inmates in the jail, down an additional 27 percent from just last year. At that rate, the county would only collect $1.7 million in revenue this year, a decrease of more than $600K.

The decline in federal inmates reflects a nationwide trend to reduce mass incarceration, Harrell said.

More and more non-violent offenders are being released to help reduce the inmate population and for better rehabilitation.

“All the non-violent offenders, by and large, are on the street,” Harrell said. “We have 500 people in Lincoln County with ankle bracelets. They are doing this so they can access programs to reduce recidivism. Social science says that does work and here in Lincoln Co. we have seen that reduction in recidivism if they have better access to the programs on the outside.”

And while Harrell sees these declining numbers as a major problem financially that’s only going to get worse, he also sees Proposition Safe Community as an opportunity to address other shortfalls within the department. One big area is deputy and jailer pay, both of which are considerably lower neighboring communities, resulting in significant turnover.

“We need to provide a fair wage for the Sheriff’s Deputies and until we do that, we will continue to be a pass through organization,” he said. “Lincoln County residents deserve the quality services they can count on.”

Harrell said the department is also understaffed, with frequently 4-5 deputies patrolling the 650 miles of Lincoln County.

Another component to the proposition would allow the sheriff’s department to enhance its animal control efforts.

Part of the funds generated would be used to build kennels at the sheriff’s office for temporary housing of stray, unclaimed, or aggressive dogs. It would also provide the salary for a deputy whose sole responsibility would be animal control and management of the facility, which would house about 10-15 animals, depending on their size.

“We already are doing the job,” Harrell said. “We respond to over 400 animal calls a year. But because we don’t have the resources … we are underserving the community. What we need is a place to house the animals in a temporary way to return them to the rightful owners or to seek out other resources for the animals in the long term.”

Harrell said when they pick up a dog now, they have to take it to Pets A-Lone Sanctuary or a nearby Humane Society.

“Too many times we are turned away because they are at their limit,” Harrell said.

And if there is room for the animal, that’s still not a perfect solution.

“If we do turn them over to some organization, the chances for the rightful owners to have their animals returned to them are slim,” he said.

Harrell said there is a couple advantages to keeping the dogs at the sheriff’s department, starting with the facility was designed to have the kennels added at some point.

Secondly, he said maintaining and operating it could be handled largely by inmates.

“It’s the most cost effective and common sense approach we can have right now in terms of the care and maintenance of the facility, managed by a dedicated sheriff’s deputy,” Harrell said.

Harrell also said by having the ability to house animals, the county could consider passing an ordinance regarding aggressive dogs.

“A lot of people call and want an ordinance but we can’t pass an ordinance if we don’t have the facility built and running,” he said. “What’s holding the county back from passing an ordinance is we don’t have the resources to cope with the problem.”

Harrell stressed though with a capacity of 10-15 dogs, this would only be a temporary facility with no intentions of ever replacing groups like PALS or New Leash on Life.

“We want to fill the service gaps in terms of animal control,” he said. “We know a lot of organizations are working hard in our area and we want to make sure we are doing the best possible thing to work in the existing system. We aren’t trying to replace the system.”

And with the Troy Buchanan school district asking for an $80 million bond issue on the same ballot, Harrell said he’s concerned about the proposition passing. But he added that’s always the case.

“I’m always concerned its going to pass,” he said. “There is no Plan B. Am I concerned about the community? Absolutely. I’m concerned we don’t have any other options.”