WINSTON — Broadwater County is looking at the future of funding for the sheriff's office and possibly asking voters to renew a public safety levy.
"I am here to let everyone know to let people know I'm trying to do everything I can to keep what we have and maintain everything that we have with a little bit less," said Nick Rauser, the Sheriff of Broadwater County.
The Broadwater County Sheriff's Office is asking the public for feedback and input on continuing a public safety levy.
MTN reported in 2020 that the Broadwater County Sheriff's Office and Detention Center would receive help with funding for five years through a public safety levy. The levy raises about $700,000 yearly, which has increased as the mill values grew.
That levy will close this year, and the office is asking voters to approve the levy again to continue the extra funding.
However, they want to decrease the number of mills they ask for by 20 percent.
Sheriff Rauser said, "The mill levies are going to continue to grow, especially because Broadwater County is going to continue to grow. I'm hoping that we will be able to stay up with that."
If the new mill levy passes, property owners of a $100,000 house would pay $43.31 each year.
However, some meeting attendees were concerned about lessening the mill levy.
"It's hard to get money back once you give it away and to maintain that," said one man.
Another man said, "Don't cut yourself short on what we're thinking out here about our support for you guys to expand."
This is just the first of multiple public meetings about the renewal of the public safety mill levy.
You can find out when and where the next one will be by following the Broadwater County Sheriff's Office on Facebook.
