Project 100 Plan - My Strategy to Save Door County Money

My plan is simple. Through restructuring, outside the box thinking, and being an active Sheriff, my plan is to save $100,000 in my first term as Sheriff. Like you, I suffered a great impact with my tax bill. Something needs to be done to help save money, and something needs to be done now. The Door County Sheriff’s Office is too small to have full-time administrators. As a former law enforcement union president, I understand law enforcement union contracts, and the divide between administrators and union employees. I also understand there is a balance of how to effectively work with the union as an administrator to make things more efficient and save money. Prior Sheriffs have done a great job at building the Sheriff’s Office to where it is at today. Now it is a matter of fiscal responsibility and creative thinking to efficiently designate this staff to gain their full potential and save overtime costs. 

This can be accomplished through position realignment, schedule adjustments, and a teamwork mindset. In addition, grant funds are passing us by. We need to be more aggressive in finding grant funding that truly benefits Door County and relieves the tax burden.

Fiscal Responsibility & Efficient Public Safety

A Simple, Achievable Plan to Save Taxpayer Dollars

• Save $100,000 in my first term as Sheriff
• Reduce administrative overhead through restructuring
• Lead as an active Sheriff, not a hands-off administrator
• Use creative, practical solutions - not cuts to public safety

My plan is straightforward and realistic. Through restructuring, outside-the-box thinking, and active leadership, I will save $100,000 in my first year as Sheriff. Like many families in Door County, I felt the impact of rising property taxes firsthand. Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done now. The Sheriff’s Office is simply too small to support layers of full-time administrators. With thoughtful realignment and efficient use of personnel, we can reduce costs while maintaining strong service.

Experience Working with Law Enforcement Unions

• Former law enforcement union president
• Deep understanding of union contracts and labor agreements
• Proven ability to balance administration and labor relations
• Focus on efficiency, cooperation, and fairness

As a former law enforcement union president, I understand both sides of the table. I know how union contracts work, where inefficiencies develop, and how administrators and frontline employees can work together productively. Prior Sheriffs did an excellent job building the agency we have today. Now it is time for fiscal responsibility and creative thinking to ensure staff are positioned effectively, overtime is controlled, and taxpayer dollars are respected.

Position Realignment & Efficient Scheduling

• Realign positions to maximize existing staff
• Adjust schedules to reduce overtime
• Promote a teamwork mindset across divisions

Savings can be achieved through position realignment, schedule adjustments, and a culture focused on teamwork. These changes are not about doing more with less, they are about doing better with what we already have. Proper alignment allows employees to operate at their full potential while reducing unnecessary overtime costs.

Aggressive and Strategic Use of Grant Funding

• Actively pursue grants that truly benefit Door County
• Reduce reliance on local tax dollars
• Avoid grants that duplicate existing services

We must be more aggressive and strategic in seeking grants that provide value to Door County and reduce the tax burden. At the same time, we must avoid chasing grants that duplicate services or add long-term costs without clear benefit.

Financial Management You Can Trust

Professional Budget Oversight

• $10 million Sheriff’s Office budget
• Numerous service contracts requiring oversight
• Current financial management spread across multiple staff

As a taxpayer, I believe financial oversight should be handled by someone with professional education and experience in managing money. The Sheriff’s Office operates a $10 million budget, currently managed by staff who already have full operational duties and limited specialized background in financial management. That is not fair to them, or to taxpayers.

Hiring a Dedicated Financial Manager

• Bring on a manager with business finance experience
• Full-time focus on budgeting, grants, and fiscal oversight
• Free operational staff to focus on public safety

While my education and experience give me confidence in managing large budgets, my expertise is in criminal justice, not finance. That is why I will bring on a dedicated financial manager whose sole responsibility is managing the budget, pursuing grants, and ensuring accountable spending. This approach saves taxpayer dollars through better grant acquisition, smarter budgeting, and improved operational focus across the agency.

Efficient Scheduling & Strategic Deployment

Aligning Resources with Community Needs

• Reduce overtime through strategic shift realignment
• Increase patrol visibility and traffic enforcement
• Address rising calls for service

Calls for service in Door County have increased every year, while dedicated traffic enforcement has steadily declined. This imbalance must be corrected. By realigning shifts and schedules, my plan ensures deputies are deployed where and when they are most needed, reducing overtime while maintaining service levels.

Targeted Traffic Enforcement

• Dedicated traffic enforcement during day and evening hours
• Focus on high-risk and high-complaint areas
• Improve safety and reduce crashes

This plan introduces consistent traffic enforcement in areas such as Bayshore Drive, Glidden Drive, and state highways. Targeted enforcement improves safety while allowing patrol deputies to focus on priority calls.

Motorcycle Patrol Program

• Seasonal motorcycle patrol during peak summer months
• Increased visibility at festivals and public events
• Faster response and enhanced coverage

During summer festivals and events, motorcycle patrols provide superior visibility, mobility, and response capability, helping residents and visitors feel safe while reducing strain on patrol staffing.

Dedicated Transport Officer

• Prevent investigators and patrol from being pulled from cases and duties
• Improve efficiency in court security and inmate transport
• Allow investigators and patrol to focus on victims and case resolution

These efficiencies allow for the creation of a dedicated transport officer position, ensuring investigators and patrol remain focused on solving crimes and serving victims rather than routine transport duties.

Strengthening Investigations: Children & Narcotics

Expanding Investigative Capacity

• Add a full-time investigator to support narcotics enforcement
• Reduce risk and burnout
• Strengthen complex investigations

Currently, one narcotics investigator is responsible for the narcotics investigations in the entire county. This structure is unsustainable. Through strategic realignment, I will add an investigator to work alongside narcotics enforcement and pursue a task-force model in partnership with other agencies.

Protecting Children Through Focused Enforcement

• Expand capacity for Internet Crimes Against Children cases
• Partner with School Resource Officers
• Maintain a strong prevention and outreach mission

Protecting children has been a central focus of my career. This plan strengthens investigative capacity while reinforcing community outreach and prevention, ensuring our children and families remain protected.

The Sheriff’s Office as a Responsible Business

Maximizing Jail Revenue

• Jail beds can be a revenue generating focus
• Recover approximately $55 per inmate per day
• Potential for hundreds of thousands in annual revenue

Unlike popular thought, traffic citations do not generate revenue, however, the jail can and should offset costs. With available capacity, even partial utilization could generate meaningful revenue to reduce pressure on taxpayers.

Regional Jail Partnerships

• Explore partnerships with Kewaunee County
• Avoid costly turnover and staff concerns
• Share staffing and resources

I support exploring regional solutions that improve efficiency and reduce costs, including shared housing and staffing agreements with neighboring counties.

Regional & Specialized Resource Sharing

• Leverage ALERRT-recognized specialized teams
• Secure state grant funding
• Share elite services at no cost

Door County’s Joint Dive Team already demonstrates how regional specialization improves service while controlling costs. This model should continue and expand to our other specialized units.

Collaboration with other Public Safety Services

• Strengthen partnerships with fire and EMS agencies
• Share training, resources, and expertise
• Improve response while controlling costs

Public safety is a shared responsibility. Strategic collaboration strengthens services while respecting limited resources.

Proven Leadership You Can Count On

This plan as outlined in my Project 100 is practical, innovative, and achievable. It does not rely on cuts to public safety or unrealistic promises. Instead, it leverages restructuring, professional financial oversight, efficient scheduling, regional collaboration, and proven leadership to save approximately $100,000 in my first term.

I bring the knowledge, experience, and credibility to make this happen. I understand budgets, labor contracts, operations, and accountability. Most importantly, I understand that every dollar spent is a taxpayer dollar. As Sheriff, I will be a responsible steward of those funds, delivering efficient, effective public safety while keeping Community and Victims First.