Law Enforcement Committee Requests Two More Deputies

The Marinette County Law Enforcement Committee repeated its recommendation to the County’s Finance and Insurance Committee, Personnel and Veteran’s Service Committee, and Board of Supervisors that two additional positions for Sherriff’s deputies be created and funded as of Jan. 1, 2015. The Committee made its recommendation during its Monday, Aug. 11 meeting. 

The committee took the action after a previous recommendation to the Personnel and Veterans Services Committee for the county to hire the deputies failed on a 2-2 vote at its Aug. 8 meeting. This matter is “far too important to this Law Enforcement agency to get stopped by a 2-2 vote,” Sherriff Jerry Sauve told the committee in urging them to press the recommendation, noting that one member of the Personnel and Veterans Service Committee had not attended the meeting where the split vote stopped any action.

Chairperson Ken Keller voiced his disagreements with Sauve about the suitability of hiring two new deputies. Keller noted that the County Board’s Executive Committee had instructed the County Administrator to find ways to save ten percent on expenditures. Moreover, the Board has already approved the construction of a heated shed at the Law Enforcement Center and the purchase of two new police vehicles. Adding two additional deputies at a time of austerity may be an overreaction. Further, the numbers of city police in Marinette, which Keller represents, and sheriff’s deputies have been stable.

Supervisor Paul Gustafson told the Committee that Law Enforcement was a priority and he believed that the Sherriff’s Office needed adequate personnel to meet a crisis situation.

In other business, the Committee chose not to change any of the User Fees charged by the Sherriff’s Office in 2015. The District Attorney’s Office, the Clerk of Courts, and the Child Support Division may ask to increase fees for their services.  However, fees for registering burglar alarms and dealing with false alarms, civil fees, hiring an officer for a special event, electronic monitoring fees, and boarding an out of county inmate at the Marinette County jail will not be increased.

The Committee also decided to purchase a new ATV for use by the Sherriff’s office. A bid from North Motor Sports will have the County spending $5,800 on the new ATV after a $5,000 trade in of the 2007 model now in use. Members also forwarded to the County Board a proposed agreement with Wisconsin Lock and Load Prisoner Transports of Green Bay to transport inmates to out-of-county destinations. The rate will increase to $1.65 an hour because the introductory rate of $1 an hour has expired. Sauve told the committee that the company has been very reliable and has provided excellent service. Even at the increased rate, Sauve reported, the county will still save money by hiring this company instead of using its own personnel to transport inmates. Sauve reserves the right to move inmates when there is an immediate need or it would cost less.

Communications Director Kirsten Bellilse reported that a July 24 power outage at the Law Enforcement Center took down all of the building’s phones and radios for ten minutes, and 911 calls were transferred to the Oconto County 911 call center from 11:56 P.M. until 3:30 A.M. on July 25.

Lieutenant James Albright reported on a planned auction of outdated and surplus items that the Sherriff’s office no longer needs. The items include squad cars, center consoles with decks for laptop computers, tools and coins. The items will be listed on the Wisconsin Surplus Website until the end of the month.

Jail Administrator Bob Majewski reported that the jail averaged 133 inmates during the month of July, eight inmates higher than July of 2013. As of Aug. 11, ten inmates were boarders from Oconto County, and the jail is so full that an Aug. 8 request from Oconto County to house two more inmates had to be turned down. The table in the video-conference arraignment room had to be prepared after an inmate picked it up and threw it at the wall. Majewski urged the committee to improve delivery of electricity to the building, as “stuff happened that shouldn’t have happened” during the July 24-25 power outage. Majewski gave the four committee members and two reporters present a tour of the jail to show them the jail’s new camera system and point out places where painting and other maintenance had been done and other places where it was needed.

Emergency Management Director Eric Burmeister reported on the process in which the Federal Emergency Management Agency will update maps of the flood plains near rivers in the county. Land Information Director John LeFebvre has joined Burmeister in meeting with FEMA officials about the new maps, which will be published in 2015 or 2016. The new maps, he told the committee, should be much more accurate than previous maps. Burmeister will meet later this month with the Marinette School District and Marinette Police Department about the training he received in dealing with active shooters in schools. The Natural Hazards Mitigation plan has been approved by FEMA, and a reimbursement check for the county’s work should be coming from the Federal Government soon.

In his report, Sauve told the committee about an incident in Florence County very late on Saturday, Aug. 9, in which an armed man threatened some boaters and then fled into the woods. He also reported on high overtime expenditures during the month of July. The expenses were caused by the loss of Deputy Kevin Solway accepting a job as Marinette County’s Information Services Director and a deputy who is away on Family and Medical Leave Absence. A shooting incident on July 24 in the Town of Wausaukee created a need for more deputies on duty, as well as a writ from the Court to seize, inventory, and properly store the property of a business that deals in wedding dresses.

The Committee wrote off a $35 in non-collectible accounts, corrected a $73.50 error in an account submitted for collection at its July 13 meeting, and sent $37,809.04 in inmate board accounts to the County Finance Department for collection.

Sauve also reported on his work with the new Drug Court, which begins its work this month and is identifying people who might be good candidates. Marinette County will welcome 50 Wisconsin Sheriffs on September 3-5 for the annual Sheriffs’ Conference and Training Session.

Joining Keller, Gustafson, Sauve, Burmeister, Albright, and Bellilse were Commissiners Cheryl Wruk and Mike Behnke, along with Chief Deputy James Hanson and Administrative Assistant Fae Olson. The 1:15 p.m. meeting recessed at 2:33 p.m. for the jail tour and formally adjourned at 3:12 p.m. The committee will meet next on Monday, Sept. 8 at 1:15 p.m. in the Law Enforcement Center Center.

Recent stories, opinions and photos

Issue Date	Department	Headline
02-25-2015	Sports	11 Area Wrestlers Head To State
02-25-2015	Sports	Buccaneer Men Win WCC State Tourney
02-25-2015	Sports	Niagara Finishes Season With Win In Wausaukee
02-25-2015	Sports	Rangers Capture Conference Crown
02-25-2015	Perspectives	Country Cousin
02-25-2015	Perspectives	From our readers
02-25-2015	Perspectives	Tales from the old-timer
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Betty J. Zabel
02-25-2015		Lawrence F. Seefeldt
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Dr. Fred J. Schuette
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Anne E. Martin
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Mary Ellen Herrild
02-25-2015	Obituaries	John E. Hansen
02-25-2015	Obituaries	John W. Golla
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Michael L. Franklin
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Melvin H. Dettman
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Raymond L. Berg
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Donald Bell
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Robert L. Ward
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Emil Steier
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Glenn K. Smoot
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Helen M. Shevy
02-25-2015	Obituaries	John E. Schroeder
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Walter Schaal
02-25-2015	Obituaries	James L. Perry
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Darleen J. Neuens
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Mary Lerich
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Olga Kopatz
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Violet D. Hinkfus
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Sally A. Frank
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Marge E. Frank
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Tammy L. Finendale
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Donald W. Edlebeck
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Violet I. Dodd
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Robert Bizjak
02-25-2015	Obituaries	Frances Kwiatkowski
02-25-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Blood Drive Gets 51 Units
02-25-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Lions Bowling Tourney Dates
02-25-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Order Roses from Wausaukee Lions
02-25-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Luncheon Speaker at Presbyterian Church
02-25-2015	Community - Crivitz	Hunter Education Class Starts Mar. 31
02-25-2015	Community - Crivitz	Crivitz Water Rate Phone Hearing Mar. 25
02-25-2015	Community - Crivitz	Crivitz Blood Drive March 5
02-25-2015	Community - Crivitz	Orientation for Badger Staters
02-25-2015	Community - Coleman	Senior Club To Meet March 2
02-25-2015	Community - Coleman	Middle School Students of Month
02-25-2015	Community - Coleman	Coleman Village Board March 2
02-25-2015	News	Oconto Church Fish Fry Feb. 27
02-25-2015	News	Hunter Education Class Starts Mar. 31
02-25-2015	News	Men’s Wild Game Dinner March 7
02-25-2015	News	MCC Athletic Club Fish Fries
02-25-2015	Front Page	PRESENT CHECK
02-25-2015	Front Page	County Board Favors First Step To Ending Airport Partnership
02-25-2015	Front Page	Oconto Co. Board Salutes Retiring Finance Director
02-25-2015	Front Page	Sheriff: Prisons Full, State Will Ask Counties to Help
02-25-2015	Front Page	City Still Seeks Sponsors For Ball Field Name Rights
02-19-2015	Sports	9 Cougar Wrestlers Qualify For Saturday Sectional
02-19-2015	Sports	Rangers Remain On Top Of M&O
02-19-2015	Sports	Peshtigo Flawless in M&O
02-19-2015	Sports	Deadlines to Remove Ice Fishing Shelters
02-19-2015	Perspectives	Country Cousin
02-19-2015	Perspectives	From our readers
02-19-2015	Perspectives	Tales from the old-timer
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Charles M. Zinther
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Lawrence L. Walli, Jr.
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Jeffrey D. Teske
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Donna M. Sopkowicz
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Gerhardt Rusch
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Lois Rehn
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Carol Prestin
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Harris J. Hubert
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Mary J. Grandaw
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Larry J. Goral, Sr.
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Norita A. Gifford
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Melvin L. Brunette
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Deborah L. Wilde
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Rosemary A. Sutek
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Gary E. Limberg
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Laurie A. Kinziger
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Rosemary Johnston
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Charles H. Jessel Sr.
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Robert Heckel
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Helena Hanysz
02-19-2015	Obituaries	June R. Gering
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Roger O. Durocher
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Doris M. Durocher
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Brooke Kay Benoit
02-19-2015	Obituaries	Ronald R. Bajczyk
02-19-2015	News	Moose Lodge Sets Feb. 21 Fundraiser
02-19-2015	News	Lions Members Selling Roses
02-19-2015	News	Goodman Fire Dept. Dinner is Feb. 21
02-19-2015	News	Antique Show at Moose Lodge Apr. 11
02-19-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Lions Bowling Tourney Dates
02-19-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Silver Cliff Auxiliary To Offer Scholarships
02-19-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Wagner Buys Tender Truck, Seek Recycling Center Help
02-19-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Town Buys Tractor, Action on Road Bans
02-19-2015	Community - Crivitz	Hunter Education Class To Start
02-19-2015	Community - Crivitz	Candlelight Ski, Hike at State Park
02-19-2015	Community - Crivitz	UTV For Middle Inlet Fire Department Expected Soon
02-19-2015	Community - Crivitz	T/Stephenson Approves Hirings, Wage Increases
02-19-2015	Community - Coleman	Coleman Competes at Regional FBLA Meet
02-19-2015	Community - Coleman	Kickers Winter Dance Feb. 21
02-19-2015	Community - Coleman	Neil Diamond Show at Equity Feb. 27, 28
02-19-2015	Front Page	Preliminary Hearings In Child Neglect Case
02-19-2015	Front Page	Twin County Airport Partnership May End
02-19-2015	Front Page	County Board To Vote On $5.95 Million Bond Issue
02-19-2015	Front Page	Judge Finds For DWD, Advises City To Appeal
02-19-2015	Front Page	Primary Vote Election Results
02-11-2015	Sports	Peshtigo High School Bowlers Qualify for State
02-11-2015	Sports	Northland Pioneer Men Win First Game 60-42
02-11-2015	Sports	Cougars Wrap Up 12th Straight Title
02-11-2015	Sports	Wausaukee Routs Wildcats By 43 Points In Lena
02-11-2015	Perspectives	Country Cousin
02-11-2015	Perspectives	From our readers
02-11-2015	Perspectives	Tales from the old-timer
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Wayne Strahl
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Jeffrey D. Schuette
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Jeffrey W. Novak
02-11-2015	Obituaries	John J. Veriha
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Jeanine J. Smith
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Evelyn G. Nault
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Helen A. Cole
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Loren R. Anderson
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Edward Turensky
02-11-2015	Obituaries	William H. Powell
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Frances V. Nowakowski
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Walter F. Meyer, Jr.
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Josephine Marnocha
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Michele M. Macha
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Francis Leon Cornell
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Geraldine A. Bingenheimer
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Michael J. Beaudo
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Dale A. Sieloff
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Gladys M. Schlak
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Michael Pawlak
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Mary T. Luczak
02-11-2015	Obituaries	Fred Kuhnle
02-11-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Honor 5 Teams at State for WIAA 100 Years
02-11-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Wausaukee Taps Mayou For WWTP Certifications
02-11-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Dog, Cat Clinic at Wagner Feb. 14
02-11-2015	Community - Wausaukee	Lions Bowling Tourney Dates
02-11-2015	Community - Crivitz	CAWC Girls Night Out at The Woods Apr. 20
02-11-2015	Community - Crivitz	Hunter Education Class Starts Mar. 31
02-11-2015	Community - Crivitz	Rural Life Day Mass, Blessing of Animals, Soil
02-11-2015	Community - Crivitz	Plan Valentine Candlelight Ski
02-11-2015	Community - Coleman	Kickers Winter Dance Feb. 21
02-11-2015	Community - Coleman	Coleman School Board Feb. 16
02-11-2015	Community - Coleman	Coleman PTO Plans Book Fair
02-11-2015	Community - Coleman	CLC Pantry Hours
02-11-2015	News	Lena Blood Drive Feb. 19