Mt. Sterling, IL` – Two Brown County law enforcement agencies might be merged.
Brown County Board vice-chairman Mike Yingling says the county sheriff is collecting budget information from his department and from the Mount Sterling police department.
A consolidation committee including county board members and city aldermen will go over the figures and make a recommendation on whether to pursue the issue.
Yingling says in a small county such as Brown County, the leaders owe it to the public to find ways to cut costs wherever possible.
He says the main question the committee must consider is whether a merger would result in an acceptable level of service to both entities.
He says the county spends around $300,000 per year for the sheriff's department and other law enforcement costs. He says Mount Sterling spends around $500,000 per year for its police department.
County members of the consolidation committee include Yingling, board chair David Ferrell and Marguerite Snyder.
Yingling says no timetable has been established for the discussion.