Fairbury approves changes to agreement with county over sheriff's office services

FAIRBURY, NE — Fairbury approved changes to an agreement with Jefferson County about law enforcement coverage, but not without some controversy.

The town has paid the county every year for law enforcement services since the Fairbury Police Department was absorbed into the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in 2018.

As originally laid out in the contract, the payment the city makes cannot exceed a 3 percent rate increase year-over-year.

Tuesday though, the city approved in a 6-2 vote to allow the county to ask for up to a six percent increase in the rate year-over-year for the next three years.

Council members Kelly Davis and Brad Kuzelka voted against the measure. 

Kuzelka said he voted against sending the measure to the full council at the latest public safety committee meeting.  

Davis cited frustrations with the sheriff's departments efforts within the city, particularly in traffic enforcement, as the reason for his 'no' vote. 

Kelly made his point by saying he believes he could make more traffic stops in a day within 10 blocks of his house than the sheriff's office makes in a day.

"I don't think we're getting what we're paying for," Kelly said. "The [state] patrol stops more people in Fairbury than the sheriff's department does. And most of the people I could write tickets for would be the sheriff's department, rolling through stops signs and such, you know. I'm not in favor of this at all."

Other council members voiced concerns of upping the yearly rate increase maximum, but agreed inflation has raised expenses for the sheriff's office, which need to be covered.

According to Fairbury Mayor Spencer Brown, the county originally asked for a 10 percent increase to the city's payment this year, but the two side negotiated to the six percent rate increase agreed upon.

After the three years, the annual rate increase will return to a max of three percent.

At Tuesday's meeting, the city council also approved a measure allowing city code enforcement officers to write citations for code and ordinance violations in the city. 

Further, the Jefferson County Attorney will prosecute those violations on behalf of the city at no expense to the city.