Buellton, Solvang push back on sharp increase in costs for Sheriff's contract services

Mar. 13—Officials from Buellton and Solvang have pushed back on a sharp increase in the cost for contracted public safety services provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, which has requested an extension to negotiations that are set to expire in March.

The "substantial" increase went from an original estimate of 5.5% in November to a recalculated increase in January ranging from 27% to 49%, equating to a $5.9 million collective increase across the cities of Buellton, Solvang, Goleta and Carpinteria for the fiscal year that begins in July, according to a Feb. 22 Solvang staff report.

In a joint letter, the cities' mayors expressed their disappointment over the increase to the Sheriff's Office and the Board of Supervisors.

"As entities entrusted by our constituents to responsibly mange and allocate our budgets for the optimal public benefit, we are alarmed by the Sheriff's Office's unexpected and significant proposed cost increases," the letter states. "The Sheriff's Office's conduct threatens the cities' ability to provide necessary services and stability to members of our communities during the ongoing COVID pandemic and extended state of emergency."

Because the cities don't have law enforcement agencies of their own, they use the Sheriff's Office, which provides deputies and other services, including use of its equipment. The Sheriff's Office is allowed to annually adjust the level of compensation for the services it provides, according to a contract with each city that runs from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2023.

The Sheriff's Office is required to present a preliminary cost proposal in November and a final proposed cost increase by mid-January.

Dispute letters were sent out around mid-February, triggering a 30-day resolution process. If a resolution isn't reached by mid-March, the cities and Sheriff's Office must enter formal arbitration.

Officials from each city accuse the Sheriff's Office of failing to include them in the development of the cost methodology, violating the terms and the purpose of the agreements, according to the letter.

Additionally, they disagree with the increased number of man-hours provided by the Sheriff's Office in the readjustment of charges associated with past hours, and accuse the agency of not providing proper justification for the increase.

Correspondence between the Sheriff's Office and the cities indicated a consultant was hired to improve the methodology, according to the letter.

Sheriff Bill Brown declined requests for interviews, but said in an emailed statement that his office is hoping for a speedy resolution.

"We are continuing to work on this issue by re-examining the methodology by which the costs were estimated, and exploring possible adjustments or alternatives," Brown said.

Carpinteria's and Goleta's deadlines were March 11 whereas the deadlines for Solvang and Buellton are March 14. Carpinteria considered the Sheriff's Office's request for negotiation extensions on March 8, although Mayor Wade Namura has yet to sign a formal response letter, according to City Manager David Durflinger.

Goleta considers the Sheriff's request at the March 16 City Council meeting, whereas Buellton and Solvang haven't considered the request yet.

Buellton expects to grant the Sheriff's request, which would bring the end of the dispute resolution period to April 26, according to city manager Scott Wolfe, who adds he expects the cities to approach the resolution process together.

The Sheriff's extension cuts into the time Buellton needs to develop its own budget, which needs to be approved by June 30, and public safety services are typically the city's most expensive budget item, according to Wolfe, adding that Sheriff's services increased by 49% from one year to the next.

"[It's] hard for us to put together the rest of the budget for city services if we don't know what the biggest line item is going to be," Wolfe said. "The Sheriff's Office is doing its best and we get great service, but as stewards of the Sheriff's money, we can't just roll over and accept it without doing our due diligence."

Solvang's increase in Sheriff's services went from 5.5% in November to 37%. The city relies on tourism and, specifically, transient occupancy tax for hotel stays, which pay for nearly 50% of its general fund.

Whenever a stay-at-home order is issued, Solvang loses general fund contributions that help pay for public safety services, according to city manager Xenia Bradford.

"The Sheriff's Office is the single largest general fund expenditure in the budget and paid entirely by general fund dollars," Bradford said, who adds the city has reduced the level of Sheriff's services several times and now pays to have one deputy in the city on a 24/7 basis. "Obviously, we are very surprised because we are getting the same service as last year. It's definitely a challenge."