MARIES COUNTY — Maries County Commissioners gave unanimous approval Nov. 27 for a two-year contract between the county sheriff’s office and the city of Belle to provide law enforcement services for the city at an annual cost of about $155,000.

The county commission’s approval of the contract is contingent upon Prosecuting Attorney Anthony “Tony” Skouby okaying the contract and for the Belle Board of Aldermen to vote to move its law enforcement services under the supervision of the Maries County Sheriff.

The contract the commissioners gave tentative approval of was tweaked for Maries County but originally was written by a Christian County attorney and deals with a county taking over a city’s law enforcement activities.

Sheriff’s Deputy Lt. Scott John and Belle Marshal Joe Turnbough met with the Maries County Commission last Wednesday morning to discuss the issue. Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel opened the discussion by saying in the last few days there has been attention drawn to Belle and the people are talking about this possible contract with the county.

They are calling and asking him. Sheriff Chris Heitman talked to the commissioners about it. He asked for Turnbough’s view.

Turnbough said his view is to do what’s best for the town and the people he serves. He said the city council tried to get rid of the police department and the people of Belle don’t want that. He is a sheriff’s deputy also and thinks the sheriff’s office is “a group of amazing people and may do a better job but it’s not what the town wants. If we do it, we have to work together.”

Turnbough said he thinks part of this county-city arrangement is to eliminate the marshal’s job and he thinks in two years when his term is over, he’ll be finished unless the city council figures out a way to impeach him before that.

He restated he will work with the sheriff’s office. The arrangement states the county will be in charge of the Belle Police Department but Turnbough is still marshal and will still have arrest powers.

“I would have no boss except for the people and I’m still a deputy,” Turnbough told the commissioners.

Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre asked him if his job will go away. John said no, but the city council can reduce the salary and benefits to a level that no one would be able to afford to work at the job. He said they have not indicated what his duties will be. There is a community meeting and people will voice their opinions on it and the sheriff’s office will detail how they will do things. It’s an information sharing meeting.

Drewel asked who will have the authority if they go on an arrest together. John said Turnbough will have full arrest power, is still the marshal, and still has authority. The sheriff’s office will do routine patrol of streets.

“We would be two separate entities,” John said.

Both John and Turnbough said they can work together quite well.

John said the arrangement is not the product of a power struggle. Belle approached the sheriff’s office and the sheriff’s office is not out to make money but to serve as law enforcement and take care of what’s needed.

“The sheriff felt obligated to serve but did not seek it,” John said. Drewel said a lot of people don’t understand it that way.

Turnbough said the sheriff’s office has the finances to do the job and that’s what the city council won’t give him. He wants what the majority of the Belle people want, but he doesn’t think that’s what the city council wants.

When he was first elected they were so angry they would not buy him a uniform, Turnbough told the commissioners. “They have limited my ability to do my job,” he said.

Drewel noted the members of the city council have changed.

“New people but the atmosphere has not changed,” Turnbough said, adding the sheriff’s office will provide a better police department than he can because the city council won’t give him enough funding.

The fine revenue from tickets written is built into the revenue side of the police department’s budget. It once was about $100,000 a year but now it is about half that, Turnbough said.

City court revenue from fines collected for the period July through October 2019, however, totals only $11,985.53, according to Belle city records.

Fagre said the sheriff’s office may do a better job patrolling and keeping drugs out of the town. John said currently Belle has three police officers and may need one more, but they won’t all be on duty at the same time. Elrod was terminated and hasn’t been replaced.

Turnbough said in his opinion there is not enough money, but in the city board’s opinion there is, so “it’s a difference of opinion.” The tax base has gone up but the fines have gone down, he said. The sheriff’s office has more manpower, resources, equipment and deputies. John said the sheriff’s office would like more manpower.

Turnbough said he wants what’s best of the town and the aldermen already have decided what they will do. There is an open meeting on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at the community center. People have to sign up to be able to speak and will be limited to three minutes. You must be a Belle resident to speak. Turnbough said there are some business owners who he thinks should be allowed to speak.

John said they will be there to answer questions. Drewel said at the meeting they will find out what the people have to say. On Dec. 10 at the Belle Board of Aldermen meeting they plan to vote on the arrangement and contract.

Turnbough said the majority of citizens want their own police department, their own vote, and to have a say. The problem is if the city council does not get the marshal they want, they won’t give the marshal the money.

Drewel asked him about his budget and he said $160,000 to $180,000. John said he thought $180,000 to $200,000. Drewel said the meeting will show them what the citizens want.

John said there is nothing political on the part of the sheriff’s office and there is no animosity between them. Drewel said it sounds as though the people of Belle will benefit from having more police coverage and also from Turnbough being there.

Turnbough said he thinks the city council will change his salary and benefits to get rid of him. “I know how they think,” he said. John said Mayor Seaver said that was not discussed.

Drewel said he’s glad Turnbough came to talk to them and Turnbough complimented the commissioners, saying they are “nice and polite.”

John said Belle can contract or not contract the law enforcement work to the county. “We have enough to do.”