Crystal River City Council members are expected Tuesday to decide the future of the city’s law enforcement.
Council members are scheduled to discuss Citrus County Sheriff Jeff Dawsy’s proposal on a contract to provide law enforcement in the city, just as his office now does by contract for the city of Inverness.
Dawsy made his pitch at the council’s request before a packed meeting room Oct. 22. The council decided to wait a few weeks before deciding, because City Manager Andy Houston had some lingering questions.
Houston said he wants the sheriff to identify the go-to individual should problems arise in the city, as the police chief does now.
“I want one person,” he said. “I really don’t have that.”
Dawsy’s proposal says he can save the city $500,000 the first full year of the contract while providing response time and enforcement at or better than current levels.
The savings comes from reducing or eliminating administration that now is duplicated between the sheriff’s office and Crystal River Police Department.
Dawsy said he would offer jobs to city police officers who qualify for employment at the sheriff’s office.
The council is divided. Councilmen Jim Farley and John Kostelnick oppose the sheriff taking over law enforcement. Mayor Ron Kitchen and Councilman Phil Price favor it.
Councilwoman Maureen McNiff, who could not be reached for comment Friday, said last month that it would be hard to turn away from the potential savings of $500,000 — equal to one mill of the city’s tax rate.
Houston said the issue apparently rests with McNiff.
“We could pretty much ask Maureen McNiff to come to the meeting and make a decision and then we can all go home,” Houston said.
Houston said if the council approves the sheriff’s contract, the switch would begin in February at the earliest.
He said city police employees want an answer one way or another.
“They’re pretty realistic about the whole thing,” Houston said.
The city council meets Tuesday because today is a federal holiday.
* WHAT: Crystal River City Council meeting.
* WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday (preceded at 6 p.m. by a sewer workshop).
* WHERE: City Hall on U.S. 19.
* ONLINE: www.crystalriverfl.org.

By Mike Wright
Citrus Chronicle

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