EUREKA - Police coverage for the Village of Roanoke remains on hold while the county decides if the sheriff can hire more deputies and if the village approves a proposal to pay for the patrol.

Sheriff Jim Pierceall said at "minimum," he needs another full-time deputy and two part-time deputies. The county has frozen hiring, so the request has to go through additional steps.

The county's Finance Committee will discuss the contract on July 13.

The county has 10 full-time deputies who run overlapping shifts with two patrol cars. "I can't take a patrol off of the road (to cover Roanoke)," Pierceall said. "It's a safety issue."

The most recent proposal asks Roanoke to pay about $96,500 annually, or about $8,000 per month, for 56 hours of weekly coverage. Additional patrols would cost $33.04 per hour. Coverage less than 56 hours would be prorated.

Pierceall said the contract breaks even with costs to the county.

Mileage fees also would be charged. Roanoke pays $7,200 directly to Woodcom for dispatching.

The contract would automatically be renewed for one year after April 30 unless either side provides written notice by March 15.

Roanoke has been covered by police during regular county patrols since the village disbanded its police department on June 1. The village has not paid any money to the county for that service.