Sheriff’s bill to protect Hilton Head Island could jump by $1 million

Beaufort County wants the Town of Hilton Head Island to pay $1 million more next fiscal year for police protection on the island — about a 30 percent hike over the current amount.

Gary Kubic, county administrator, told the town Finance and Administrative Committee on Tuesday the county has requested $4.4 million for fiscal 2018, which starts July 1, an increase of $1,003,250 over this fiscal year’s $3.4 million budget for police services.

“This is the full cost of providing service to Hilton Head,” Kubic told committee members. “You have never paid the full cost before.”

Kubic said Wednesday the county decided to seek more funding from the town after reviewing expected revenues and expenditures for all county services for next fiscal year. Total Sheriff’s Office expenditures, for example, are projected to rise by $1.7 million in 2017-18, he said.

But town manager Steve Riley said Tuesday the additional $1 million requested by the county wasn’t factored into the town’s proposed 2017-18 budget presented to the Town Council.

Even without the requested increase by the county, town staff has proposed multiple tax and fee increases, which they contend are needed to balance next fiscal year’s town budget in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

The town does not have its own police force but instead contracts for services from the Sheriff’s Office, which staffs 42 deputies on the island.

During the first quarter of 2017, deputies responded to to 17,162 calls for service on the island, according to a sheriff’s report presented Monday to another town committee. That included 25 crimes against people, such as aggravated assault, robbery and rape. Deputies also responded to 140 crimes against property during the three-month period, including burglary, larceny and auto theft, the report said.

Sheriff P.J. Tanner said Tuesday the 42 deputy positions have always been billed to the island as a flat minimal salary and benefit cost. He said the actual cost of each individual employee was never calculated.

“We never put a name on the position,” he said. “This time, we have named each of these employees.”

Current deputy salaries range from $42,000 to $86,986 annually, said Suzanne Cook, the Sheriff’s Office financial officer.

Personnel costs make up $3.8 million of what the county wants the town to pay, county records show. Another $459,928 would be for operations and maintenance, and $126,054 for repair and replacement of equipment.

John McCann, a member of the Town Council and Finance and Administrative Committee, asked county officials Tuesday if the town could slowly increase its payments to the county over a series of years.

“I think that is a land we can talk about,” Kubic replied. “I don’t see why we can’t discuss that.”

“It would be a lot easier than trying to absorb nearly a million next year,” said council and committee member Kim Likins.

Since 2013, the sheriff’s contract with the town has increased gradually, by a total of $486,343, records show.

This story was originally published May 3, 2017 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Sheriff’s bill to protect Hilton Head Island could jump by $1 million."