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On Thursday, Jan. 11, the Jessamine County Fiscal Court approved the 2024 Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office budget and the sheriff’s salary cap.

The sheriff’s office budget was approved for an estimate of $5,183,594.

This complete budget is made of several contributions from different sources. These include $63,155 from federal grants; $194,222 from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund; $159,507 from the Finance and Administration Cabinet; $471 from the Kentucky Human Resources Cabinet; $6,328 from fines and fees collected from the circuit clerk; $2,239,917 from the fiscal court; 61,847 from the county clerk; 1,669,782 from commissions on taxes collected; $46,200 from fees collected from auto inspections and trips; $1,127 from fees collected from accident and police reports; $93,240 from fees collected for serving papers; $15,416 from fees collected from carrying concealed deadly weapons license and photos; $122,211 from other; $17,000 from miscellaneous; $19,104 from interest earned; and $475,000 from borrowed money from a state advancement.

The sheriff’s office budget’s annual expense total is $4,995,435. The following are the official expenses for the sheriff’s office: $116,551 for the sheriff’s gross (before taxes) salary; $3,353,462 for all other deputies’ gross salaries including other employees and overtime; $268,437 for employer’s share of social security; $56,663 for employer’s share of retirement; $1,281 for training fringe benefits; $722,080 for miscellaneous supplies and materials.

The fiscal court voted to set the maximum amount the Sheriff’s Office may spend during the calendar year as $3,623,899. This includes all full-time salaries and wages, overtime and part-time salaries and wages, vacation, sick leave, and employer matches for social security and retirement.

According to KRS 64.530(3), the fiscal court votes on the maximum amount, including fringe benefits, that the sheriff may expend for deputies and assistants. The fiscal court is responsible for paying for social security, retirement, and training benefits for the sheriff’s office. The sheriff initially pays the employer’s share of social security, but the fiscal court reimburses him.