Springfield Township: Contract on patrols up for talks

2/26/2004

Disputes over payments for extra patrols in Springfield Township have been cleared up, and now it s time to think about a new contract, Lucas County Sheriff Jim Telb told Springfield Township trustees recently.

Although the contract between the township and the sheriff for the patrol service doesn t end until June, a notice of an intent to continue, alter, or end the agreement needs to be made by April 1.

“We have to talk about it and notify each other next month, the sheriff said.

Mr. Telb noted that 85 percent of the township residents said they were pleased with his department s work in the township, according to a poll taken about a year ago. Although there has been a slight manpower cut for the township, the sheriff said he hadn t noticed or been informed of problems.

Township trustees reduced the sheriff s force last year from 10 to nine patrol officers after they were informed that they owed the sheriff s department about $200,000.

The township entered into a contract for additional police protection from the sheriff in 2001, and officials had an understanding that the cost would be about $430,000 annually.

County officials agreed that was the amount in the contract but stated that the figure was listed as a minimum.

The actual cost to the sheriff s department for the service was more, and the township was billed for the greater amount. After the sheriff supplied itemized bills for work hours, the township agreed to pay. The county noted that according to state law the sheriff must be repaid for all expenses.

Township Administrator Bob Anderson noted that the most recent bill from the sheriff s department for a month s service was $25,394. But the township paid $39,502. The higher monthly payments, he said, are meant to clear the debt by the time the contract expires.