In the small town of Cascade, population 600, you won’t encounter a lot of crime. But when it does happen, there needs to be someone to respond, and that was the hot topic of discussion here Monday night.
TOMMY LYNCH REPORTS FROM CASCADE:
A packed crowd gathered to discuss a proposed new contract from the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office to cover law enforcement services for the town. At the crux of the debate, a nearly $20,000 increase over the current contract.
“It seems a little bit overreaching,” said Cascade Mayor Wes Seabolt.
Seabolt is among the many trying to understand the spike. One day later the Sheriff’s Office gave some answers.
MTN News talked with Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter who attributes the increase to rising operational costs.
Among them - the cost of patrol cars. Slaughter says patrol vehicles have nearly doubled from $41,000 in 2014 to $75,683 this year.
Slaughter says liability insurance premiums have also surged from $20,000 in 2019 to $380,0000.
Wages have also risen more than $13 per hour over the past seven years, with the average deputy sheriff now making $39.90 per hour compared to $25.96 per hour just seven years ago.
Slaughter said, “All those costs compound, and basically if we have a contract city where we provide law enforcement, they get a very small percentage of it, however we have to pass that compounding expense on to them.”
However, that may be more money than Cascade says it can afford.
Seabolt said, “All that money comes out of our general budget and we just don’t have that budget for the town of Cascade.”
That’s why Mayor Seabolt is now exploring other options including the creation of a town of Cascade Police Department.
Seabolt said, “And maybe even co-oping with other jurisdictions that maybe are in the same boat as we are.”
Slaughter said, “We completely respect their local government and respect the fact that if they want to start a municipality government and that's absolutely, totally within their rights.”
So what happens next? Well, the town still has a long way to go before they are ready to vote on anything, and they will be working toward an answer before the new five-year contract goes into effect on July 1st.
(MARCH 12, 2025) The town of Cascade held a town hall meeting to discuss their contract with the Cascade County Sheriff's Office, which could be costing them thousands of extra dollars if they take on this contract as-is.
The new contract the Sheriff’s Office proposed for the town of Cascade would be a large increase in cost.
Tommy Lynch reports:
Wes Seabolt, Mayor of Cascade, said, “It seems a little bit overreaching. And I'm trying to be as transparent as possible to the residents of Cascade so that they kind of know what's going on.”
Seabolt explained that the town has increased rates to the Sheriff’s office 34% for inflation over the past decade. Now, the office wants to add on an additional 29% hike.
Seabolt said, “All that money comes out of our general budget, and we just don't have that budget for the town of Cascade, you know, like that, so we would have to look at options of, like, cutting some services or amenities for the town.”
Cascade is not the only town seeing this issue. Sally Miller traveled from Belt to attend the town hall to look for a shared solution.
Miller said, “Is it possible also for these cities to negotiate the 29% increase and maybe drop it down [in] increments throughout the contract of five years?”
While there may be solidarity to see a town struggling like your own, Miller’s main feeling is frustration.
Miller said, “I'm hopeful then that the two cities can kind of merge their ideas, their better ideas, and perhaps get to a conclusion that would be beneficial to the Sheriff's Department and to the cities involved,”
The new contract would go into effect on July first, and Seabolt is looking for an answer before then.
Seabolt said, “The consensus tonight to me, I think it gives me a direction of travel, of maybe looking at our own police chief for the town and maybe even co-oping with, you know, other jurisdictions that maybe are in the same boat as we are.”
Cascade town officials are urging the residents to stay connected with the town and to ask questions, and hopefully they can work together to find the best solution.
