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minutes meeting date 2026-09-03 · fetched 2026-09-13 · 3551 characters · official file · plain text
Thursday, September 3, 2026
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JEROME COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Thursday, September 3, 2026
PRESENT: Ben Crouch, Chairman
Charles Howell, Vice Chairman
Art Watkins, Commissioner
Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk
Meeting convened at 9:00 am.
Sheriff’s Department Budget and Wages Discussion
Staff present: Gary Taylor, Rick Bohling, Chad Kingsland, Jesse Vallez, Mike Seib, Tracee
McKim, Marisella Aguirre, Troy Tolman, Carli Petruzzelli, and Cy Lootens
The Board was made aware of some changes the sherif would like to make to his upcoming
budget. Commissioner Crouch asked if that included a contract with Flock cameras. Gary stated
that he does not want to have the cameras in the budget going forward, he expressed the potential
of the state legislature addressing Flock cameras next session, and wanting to get he county out
of the current contract. He stated that there are 8 cameras that they rent and then own the data of.
There were also issues of individuals misusing the cameras across the country and locally and so
he also does not want to have them in Jerome County any longer. The Board asked if anyone else
can rent the cameras that are already up, such as the state. Gary stated that the state is unlikely to
rent them because they don’t show interest in it either. Chad also stated that there are issues
going forward with Flock cameras with the fourth amendment and the right to privacy. The last
thing he wants to see is that they use the cameras to catch someone in a major crime and then
have their case thrown out due to using the cameras as part of the evidence.
The Board then stated that there had been an idea that Gary wanted to use the funds for the Flock
cameras to fund something else in his budget. Gary stated that this is correct and that he would
like to use those funds to cover issues in wages. There are issues that he has found from the
previous administration in the wages that people are getting paid. The issues are for individuals
getting paid different wages for the same position. Another issue that was found was that newer
employees were not moved up to a different rank at the correct time and not getting the wage
bump that comes with the rank increase. He is also worried about competing with Twin Falls and
the higher wages that they can offer. The main thing he wants to work to correct is the pay
discrepancies that have come from the previous sheriff. The Board asked how Gary plans to
cover the wage changes that he is proposing. Gary stated that he would use the money that would
have been put into the Flock cameras to help cover these costs. The Board then stated that in the
future that there needs to be more time put into the budget earlier in the year to not have issues
like this at the last minute and encouraged Gary to work with Tracee McKim and the Clerk’s
office earlier with his budget. Gary stated that he plans to do that next year and to start working
on it much sooner.
Commissioner Crouch moved to take the money from the Flock systems to move
it to the A budget to help in the process of adjusting wages for a market
Thursday, September 3, 2026
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adjustment as given by Sheriff Taylor. Seconded by Commissioner Howell. The
motion passed with a unanimous vote.
Meeting convened at 9:42 am.
________________________
______________________________
Ryan Treanor, Deputy Clerk
A. Ben Crouch, Chairman
______________________________
Charles M. Howell, Commissioner
______________________________
Art Watkins, Commissioner
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