Judge restores full $4.4M budget to Scott County Sheriff’s Office...Raises for jail and deputy staff included in court-ordered appropriation

A judge has officially reinstated the full 2025 budget of $4.4 million for the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, concluding a months-long legal battle between Sheriff Jerry Goodin and the Scott County Council. The ruling not only restores funding, but also mandates pay increases for jail staff and deputies—resolving a contentious dispute that drew sharp lines between the sheriff and local officials.

As of mid-June, roughly $1.2 million had already been spent. The remainder is now appropriated across three key funds: County General, LIT Special Purpose, and LIT Public Safety.

In a video posted to Facebook earlier this month, Sheriff Goodin declared victory:

“It’s over. We won. We knew we would. We were on the side of the right. We were telling the truth. Everything we said could be proved and still can be proved,” he said.

The Scott County Council had accused Goodin of overspending and mismanaging resources. In turn, Goodin claimed the council withheld critical payments to the department and jail.

The judge’s ruling includes a pay raise to $21.16 per hour for jail staff and $26.44 per hour for sheriff’s deputies, that began on June 1.

The county council held a meeting that lasted several hours to decide how the court-mandated appropriations would be paid and from which fund. The breakdown is as follows:

From the County General Fund ($810,837.80):

Elected official: $110,108

Training and Investigating: $10,000

Office Supplies: $15,000

Tires and Parts: $75,000

Fuel: $70,000

Postage: $1,500

Printing & Advertising: $1,200

Equipment Repair & Maintenance: $4,600

Drug Buy Funds: $10,000

Uniforms accountable: $10,000

Department Toxicology Main Agreement: $1,400

Radio Repair: $1,400

Software: $10,815

Sheriff Car: $140,000

Longevity: $2,000

Overtime: $150,000

Overtime Comp Saved: $11,000

Utilities: $103,814.80

Merit board: $2,000

Overtime: $70,000

From the LIT Special Purpose Fund ($1,798,943.20):

Part-Time: $300,000

Jail Commander: $40,258

Office Supplies: $5,000

Fuel: $30,000

Institutional Supplies: $70,000

Medical & Dental: $35,000

Contractual Services: $15,000

Inmate Meal Prep Contract: $304,000

Medical Service Contract: $303,000

Dental Services: $7,000

Transport Expenses: $10,000

Hospitalization: $35,000

HIV Hospitalization: $30,000

Utilities: $146,185.20

Equipment Repair & Maintenance: $30,000

Uniforms (Accountable): $7,500

Debt Service: $431,000

From the LIT Public Safety Fund ($1,881,901.00):

Chief Deputy: $71,500

Matron: $58,365

Deputies (x10): $600,100

Deputy (Morgan Foods Match): $71,906

Part-Time Sheriff Deputy: $75,000

Investigator: $56,660

Jailer Operators (x16): $817,128

Part-Time: $100,000

Jail Commander: $31,242

Total Restored Budget: $4,491,682.00