Last year, Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham proposed a sales tax to help improve law enforcement services in the county.
Tuesday, Osage County voters approved such a tax.
"It was a nail biter," Bonham said Tuesday night. "The future of the sheriff's department was dependent on this."
The proposition was the only issue on the countywide ballot, and unofficial results from the Osage County Clerk's Office showed 613 "yes" votes (55.48 percent) to 492 "no" votes (44.52 percent).
The measure required a simple majority to pass.
Out of the 9,221 registered voters who could have cast a ballot, 1,105 voters came to the polls for a voter turnout of just under 12 percent.
Due to new people joining the Osage County Commission and the county clerk's office, the ballot proposal did not make it onto the August ballot as originally planned, Bonham said.
Bonham estimated the tax would generate $500,000-$600,000 a year.
Osage County already has a law enforcement sales tax, but the majority of that money goes to fund the 911 Center, Bonham said. This tax will be used for wages and equipment for Osage County Law Enforcement. Currently, the county general revenue funds pay for the operation of the Sheriff's Department.
As it is in many small communities, Bonham said, trying to find qualified individuals to work for low pay is at the heart of the matter.
The current starting pay for an Osage County deputy is $25,500, and they can top out at $30,000, Bonham said.
"This will make us competitive," Bonham said. "It gives us the ability to adequately pay for a county our size. It also gives some relief to the general revenue fund so more of those monies can help the 911 center."
With the tax being approved, starting pay for a deputy would be $33,800 and top out at $38,800. Starting pay for jailers would go from $24,500 to $28,500.
Bonham also said he has put in place a system that would take into account years of service and a person's rank, which would also lead to salary increases because they are taking on more responsibilities as they move up in the department.
"Along with money for salaries, the tax will also be used to upgrade our in-car computers so we can use GPS dispatching and get to people in our county with the fastest response times possible," Bonham said. "We'll also be upgrading our in-car radios because we now have the ability to get 100 percent coverage throughout the county."
Bonham said he knew all the employees of his department were very grateful to the residents for approving this measure.
"We campaigned to support your deputies because they are the one's answering the calls," Bonham said. "This will boost their confidence and their pride for the community they serve."