BUTLER — While Sheriff Mike Slupe got the county commissioners to approve a new part-time deputy on Wednesday, the position will be reviewed after one year.

Slupe asked for the new deputy to work in the county's domestic relations department at a pay rate of $18.93 per hour with no benefits or retirement package.

The position would be for no more than 1,000 hours per year.

Slupe said the county has seen more warrants issued for parents who are not paying child support.

He said because the sheriff's department schedule is constantly changing, it's hard to supply the domestic relations department with the help it needs.

“We need to get out there because our warrants keep going up,” Slupe said.

But commissioner Kevin Boozel pointed out that the county was given one day's notice that the new position was needed. He said he wants to see the data that would quantify adding a part-time deputy.

Boozel asked Slupe if there was any way he could reprioritize his schedule to come up with a deputy for domestic relations.

“It comes down to management and managing schedules,” Boozel said.

Slupe said if deputies are unable to serve court papers to defendants, it could affect the outcome of court cases.

He added that for eight years he has tried to keep costs down in the sheriff's department.

“As far as management and scheduling, I think we do the best we can,” Slupe said.

County controller Ben Holland told the commissioners that the domestic relations budget includes $15,000 to $20,000 deputy service, but the sheriff's department only billed domestic relations for $3,000 so far.

That means the deputies are not working in domestic relations very often, Holland said. “I've looked at the budget and I can tell you (the deputies) are not over (at domestic relations),” Holland said.

Tom Holman, deputy court administrator, told the commissioners that there are consequences if deputies could not serve court papers to parents behind on child support payments. Holman said there are 25 to 50 bench warrants for those parents at any given time.

“When they don't go out and bring them in, they could go months and months (without paying child support),” Holman said.

Boozel maintained that Slupe could rearrange his schedule and provide a part-time deputy for the domestic relations office.

Holland said if a new position were created, billing to domestic relations should be carefully observed.

Boozel said he wants to see data on the entire department and quantifiable figures that would justify hiring a new part-time deputy before he approves the move. “Whether we wait until December or January, I think the same conclusion is going to come up,” Slupe said. “This is not a new issue.”

Holland suggested that the position be approved, then reviewed after one year to ensure domestic relations is being billed for the part-time deputy.

Commissioners Kim Geyer and Leslie Osche voted to approve Holland's suggestion. Boozel voted against the measure.