As often happens in any household short on cash, tempers rise. And the simmering relationship between the Utah County Commission and Sheriff's Office boiled over Tuesday.

Visibly irked county commissioners complained about discrepancies between what they feel the Sheriff's Office should be charging cities for dispatch and deputy services, and what's actually being charged. On deputy services alone the Clerk/Auditor's Office has come up with a number $200,000 higher than the Sheriff's Office.

"I think the underlining thought there is, we need to be correct in the number we use," Commissioner Larry Ellertson later said. "We all agree on the fact that we have to recover our costs on this."

Sheriff Jim Tracy is holding to his numbers, adding that it was commissioners who touted no tax increases in this year's budget but had to use the maximum projected revenues and most of the county's reserves to balance it.

"The figures that we represented do in fact recoup all costs, and those other figures are excessive," he said. "If someone is trying to make up a budget shortfall ... they shouldn't be doing it at the cities' expense."

Tracy, who was in St. George at a conference during Tuesday's commission meeting, said the commission's stance on higher fees will only fracture the county's various law-enforcement bodies.

"This issue is driving a wedge between the county and the cities," he said.

The county contracts with seven cities for patrol services, the largest being Eagle Mountain, and also provides dispatch services for various cities. The cost per 911 call is also disputed by the two sides. The commission would like to see an eventual charge of $23.25 per call while the sheriff holds that $15.50 is the actual reimbursement cost.

Ellertson said cities haven't been pulling their weight for some time and, when asked to pay more, requested a year to prepare. That time has come.

"For some years, we recognize we haven't been at the rate we need to cover costs," he said.

The two sides have met in recent weeks, but commissioners wondered aloud Tuesday why the sheriff hadn't taken his numbers to the Clerk/Auditor's Office for discussion.

"If we could do what it is we're instructed to do, it would help with the trust factor," Commissioner Steve White said of the Sheriff's Office.

Tracy said he has no reason to go to the clerk/auditor. He has his numbers, and they have theirs, he said. It's now up to the commission to make the call.

"Our numbers are based on our reality," he said.

Commissioners delayed adopting the fees for another week, but they've run out of time, as municipalities need to work the numbers into their upcoming budgets.

"They need time to deal with it," Ellertson said.

List of cities contracting with the county for patrol services: 

 • Eagle Mountain

• Cedar Fort

• Vineyard

• Goshen

• Elk Ridge

• Woodland Hills

• Fairfield