The Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office presented their 2023 services budget for consideration during the Mora city council meeting earlier this week.
The 2023 budget would see a nearly 10% increase from 2022, sitting at just over $747,000. The department stated that changes in salaries for deputies, inflation and rises in gas prices contributed to the budget increase.
This is the largest budget increase since 2020, Councilmember Jody Anderson expressed her concerns regarding the increase and wondered if anything could be done to reduce the budget for the future.
Sgt. Dylan VanGorden of the Kanabec County Sheriff’s Department stated that there is really only one spot that could be reduced.
"To get that number down is to cut services. Our costs is in personnel and that's what provides public safety in the city. So, the only way to cut that down is to basically get rid of patrol times."
Council voted to approve the Sheriff’s department budget recommendation by a vote of 4 to 1 with Councilmember Anderson being the only nay vote.
