The Town of Fountain Hills’ current contract with Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services is due to expire as of June 30, 2023. With that is mind, the council has been in talks with Maricopa County and the Sheriff’s Office for a new agreement, however, a new contract will not be finalized by the deadline.

At its May 16 regular session, the council voted unanimously to extend the current agreement on a month-by-month basis until a new agreement is adopted, or through Dec. 31, 2023.

The existing agreement was adopted in June 2012 as a five-year contract with five additional one-year renewals. In May 2022 the council extended the contract for an additional year. This allowed the town to obtain the services of an independent auditor to evaluate the MCSO agreement and make recommendations related to it. Based on that report the Town began negotiations with MCSO and the county for a new agreement.

Town Finance Director David Pock prepared a staff report for the council.

“To ensure patrol services for the Town continue while these discussions are completed and a new contract is negotiated, staff recommends extending the current contract for an additional six months…,” Pock said in the report.

The temporary agreement is based on an annual total of $6.3 million for the next fiscal year. That is preliminary, subject to adjustments in the final negotiations.

Councilman Allen Skillicorn said he supports the temporary agreement. He noted that for a final contract agreement he would only support a personnel level of 19 patrol deputies and the School Resource Officer.

“I think it would be unwise for us to reduce our coverage,” Skillicorn said.