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County will provide officer for Gold Hill for three years Move comes as Gold Hill voters decide whether to approve a public safety levy Nov. 3 Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 23, 2015 at 4:18 PM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 23, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Social News Jackson County commissioners have signed off on a three-year agreement to provide a full-time officer for the city of Gold Hill through September 2018. The move comes as Gold Hill voters are pondering whether to approve $860,000 in public safety funding in the Nov. 3 election. The funding, if approved, would cover a five-year period. Jackson County sheriff's Captain Nathan Sickler said Wednesday the contract between the city and county would total $493,731 over a three-year period, with costs ranging between $159,000 and $169,000 a year for the dedicated full-time position. The contract, Sickler said, requires the city to sign on for three years to justify the hiring of an additional staff position to serve the city. The agreement runs from Oct. 1, 2015, through Sept. 30, 2018. City officials allocated funds in the 2015-16 budget to partially fund the position but have said additional revenues will be necessary to maintain the position. City Manager Rick Hohnbaum and Mayor Jan Fish did not return calls by the Mail Tribune seeking comment. The proposed tax on Nov. 3 ballots would raise between $162,000 and $182,000 a year for five years between 2016 and 2020. If approved, property owners would pay an additional $2.64 per $1,000 of assessed property value. A property with an assessed value of $100,000 would see an increase of $264 per year, or $22 per month, while a property with an assessed value of $150,000 would pay an additional $396 per year, or $33 per month. Gold Hill has grappled with public safety issues in recent years, having disbanded its own police force twice between 2000 and 2006. City streets are currently patrolled by a part-time code enforcement officer. Councilor Chris Stanley said she was pleased to learn that the contract had been signed. Stanley had voiced concerns that the full-time position was not provided as soon as funding had been allocated as part of the current budget cycle, which began July 1. Hohnbaum said earlier this month that contract details took longer to work out with county officials. Sickler said the county would likely have to hire someone for the city's dedicated position. "I'm glad the contract is finally signed, but how much longer before we get an officer in our town?" Stanley said. "There is no information coming from the city manager when asked. I'm not happy at the fact that the Budget Committee fully funded the position and no one is here. ... I'm not pleased that it's a five-year levy, and it is to completely fund the contract. It's unfair to citizens for all the rate increases they are and will be asked to pay." Reach Medford freelance writer Buffy Pollock at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Oct. 23, 2015 at 4:18 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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