The Oct. 8 letter by sheriff candidate Kurt Freitag says he won’t degrade the sheriff and will back up his statements by facts. As I read the article it appeared that several statements voiced opinion differences about practices and did not reflect the “rest of the story.”

Used highway patrol computers county squads: That may have been a good way to initially get that technology for the county. How old was that equipment? What was or is the life cycle for them? Why did the highway patrol replace them? What was the price of the Verizon cards to use them? What is the break-even time frame for having this new system?

The sheriff got a second new truck: My experience with the county was that various vehicles, when replaced, were reused for another purpose? Did that happen with the first truck? Did this turbo-charged engine allow the county to get a smaller engine for better economy under light use, yet have the power to pull some of the heavier equipment, if needed? Was it a V-6 rather than getting a V-8? What was the basis for getting this truck?

Based on my experience the justification presented to the county board would have had to obtain their approval. So, did the county board make a mistake? Also, as I remember, squad cars were replaced every few years for a variety of reasons. Should that practice go back to rotating the cars among personnel and keeping them until they quit running?

Sheriff is given the budget by the county board: In my 20-plus years with the county, being in many department head planning and county board budget meetings, I don’t remember any time when the county board said, “Here’s your budget, income and expenditures, for the next year.” I saw all departments preparing budget documents projecting the next year’s operating expenditures. Then followed meetings of the board with department heads, and additional personnel in some departments, reviewing those projections and the basis for them. The county finance manager, in the administrator’s office, compiled all of them into the full county budget. That office and the board then made final decisions following a public meeting.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars lost with ICE contract: How were those dollars lost? Did the sheriff say he didn’t want those prisoners? Did he refuse to negotiate with those federal agents? Who determines which prisoners go to which facility? What would be changed or have to happen to obtain those dollars?

He (the sheriff) and his supporters have initiated a smear campaign. Is that more than a personal opinion?

If more than that, how and when will it be substantiated?

 

Darryl Meyer

Albert Lea