Increasing population, change in demographics, high cost of housing and the lack of jobs in Island County are contributing to more demands on the Island County Sheriff’s Office.

Amid the sounds of banjos playing bluegrass and a scratchy “Thanks For The Memories” recording, Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley presented his final budget request to the Board of Island County Commissioners Monday.

During the review, Hawley highlighted the county’s plummeting crime rate and some of the new challenges facing his office.

Hawley cited increasing population, urbanization, an aging population and staff, the increased complexity of calls and staff retention as some of the challenges the new sheriff will face in the coming years.

Hawley, who has been sheriff since October 1996, is not running for reelection this November.

Although the crime rate is dropping, sheriff deputies are busier than ever responding to “care-taking activities.”

And with a population projected to hit 110,050 by 2025 — a 42-percent increase — the demands on the sheriff office will be greater than ever, Hawley said.

The county will likely need a multi-million dollar jail to replace its aging lockup in Coupeville, he added.

In the short term, though, Hawley asked commissioners to set aside $207,000 next year to meet increased costs of fuel, food services in the jail, an overhaul of the sheriff’s patrol boat, payments for dispatch services and a pay raise for the jail’s medical officer.

Hawley spent much of his presentation detailing how costs have been contained during his tenure as sheriff. One notable area: Food for jail inmates. Hawley attributed the slow-growing costs to privatizing the food service several years ago.

“In 1993 we spent about $160,000. In 2006, we spent $188,000 to feed inmates, or about $8 per day,” he said.

Hawley told commissioners although some crime was down, other types of call have increased significantly.

“The meth epidemic is slowing down. Burglaries, assaults and thefts are also lower than in previous years,” Hawley said.

But assisting the public in other areas has put more demand on deputies’ time.

Hawley said since 1994, there has been a significant increase in the number of abandoned vehicles; a 186-percent increase. Assist the public calls have seen a 350-percent increase, and calls about animal problems have jumped 400 percent. Other significant increases in the calls-for-service arena include burn complaints, illegal dumping, traffic and trespassing.

Hawley suggested that the commissioners should plan to hire one person a year for the county’s criminal justice system to keep up with population growth. And county officials should also begin a long-term planning effort for a new jail to open in 2022.

“We are growing out of our 60-bed jail,” Hawley said.

Problems that the sheriff’s office faces today will continue to worsen in the years ahead.

Hawley said attracting qualified deputies to Island County is a problem because of the high cost of housing and the lack of jobs for spouses.

“Plus, other counties are attracting our deputies because of better pay and benefits,” he said.

In 2006 the sheriff’s office budget was $4.7 million for law enforcement, and $1.6 million for the jail. There are 91 employees in the sheriff’s office.

At the end of his budget presentation, which began with a slide show called “The Many Faces of ICSO” as bluegrass music played, pictures of previous sheriffs filled the screen as “Thanks For The Memories” played in the commissioners’ hearing room.

Commissioner Mike Shelton thanked Hawley for his service.

“Michael, you’ve been a good sheriff. We’re going to miss you,” Shelton said.

Gayle Saran can be reached at 221-5300 or gsaran@southwhidbeyrecord.com.