Broadwater County citizens could be voting June 3 on a mill levy that would boost sheriff’s deputy salaries and make them more competitive with surrounding communities.

The Broadwater County Commission on Monday will consider whether to place the sheriff’s department’s 11.12 mill levy request on the June ballot.

The levy would raise $123,019 annually to raise salaries, purchase new equipment and provide additional training.

Broadwater County’s deputy salaries haven’t remained competitive with surrounding areas, said Sheriff Brenda Ludwig.

In the past year, the department had to fill three staff openings and two of these were officers moving to jobs in outside agencies, she said.

“We recently lost a trained officer to Jefferson County,” she said. But Ludwig doesn’t blame him. He earns $5 per hour more there.

When the county loses a deputy, it’s lost a $21,092 investment in that officer, according to Undersheriff Ben Knaff.

These are the costs for recruiting, interviewing, background investigations, training, clothing and equipment, said Knaff.

And it’s hard to find new officers.

“We have a problem recruiting qualified applicants,” Ludwig said.

Recent applicant pools included people with drug convictions, DUIs and felony convictions, she said.

Knaff said he didn’t know what was more disheartening, recruitment or retention.

Sandwiched between the fast-growing counties of Lewis and Clark and Gallatin, Broadwater hasn’t been able to offer an attractive salary.

In fact, Ludwig earns the same hourly pay, $17.93, as a new probationary officer makes at the Three Forks Marshal office just down the road, Knaff said.

Broadwater County deputies start at $15.28 per hour, he said, compared to $20.33 in Jefferson County, $17.93 in Three Forks, $18.76 in Chouteau County, $21.93 in Lewis and Clark County, and $22.93 in Gallatin County.

If voters approve the levy, Broadwater would be able to offer $19 per hour to officers with a year of experience.

The projected levy’s tax impact on a homeowner would be $33.47 per year for a house valued at $100,000, or $66.94 on one valued at $200,000.

The current county mill value is $11,062.90.

The new mill levy would be in addition to the department’s current 38.28 mills.

This year county property taxes contributed $423,488 to the sheriff’s department and detention center’s $1.3 million budget. The remaining funds come from grants, fees and other revenues, according to county finance officer Natalie Wenzel.

The levy resolution is scheduled for discussion at 10:45 a.m. March 3 in the Broadwater County Courthouse commissioners’ room.

Reporter Marga Lincoln: 447-4074 or marga.lincoln@helenair.com