Teton County Commissioners are set to approve money for two additional sheriff’s deputies as part of next year’s budget.
That will allow sheriff Matt Carr to hire his one-time primary opponent, Alberto Rojas.
The recruitment comes despite pushback from some that the offer appears to be a quid pro quo. Resident Becky Cloetta alleged as much in a letter that Commissioner Len Carlman read aloud at a Monday budget meeting.
“I don’t like the smell of it,” Carlman said. “If it’s not warranted, let’s open windows and clear the air.”
Rojas, a Democrat and former Jackson police officer, dropped out of the sheriff’s race the day that candidate filing closed on May 29. Initially, he said in an interview that he agreed with Carr’s policies to continue honoring hold requests from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immigrants held in jail.
Rojas has not responded to requests for comment since. Carr has said that he did not explicitly offer Rojas a job to get him to drop out. Rojas was Carr’s only primary challenger. In the general election, the two-term sheriff will likely face one of his deputies, Republican Eric Snow, along with independent Chris Glenn, should the retail manager gather enough signatures by Aug. 24.
“I think it’s a good thing for the community, we’re moving forward with that, it’s in a good direction,” Carr told KHOL after the Monday meeting.
He wants to recruit Rojas, who speaks Spanish, to help improve relations with immigrants in Jackson Hole. The salary and start date for the executive level role are still being determined.
Commissioners planned to approve $198,000 for the two night deputy positions Carr had originally asked to fund.
The sheriff also suggested Rojas could help with a new audit that immigrant advocates – worried about profiling and the impacts of ICE removals – are pushing for.
“Certainly as we move forward with this assessment, which I’m also very open to and anxious to see what it produces, that particular position in Rojas is set up perfectly well to handle the needs,” Carr said.
The sheriff is also getting his wish on housing for first responders, though county leaders need town officials to also support the idea. On Monday, commissioners agreed to allocate $98,000 to the sheriff’s office in contingent funding for deputies who might need a housing stipend to live in Teton County. As it stands, only two of 30 sheriff’s deputies live inside the county.
Carr’s larger hope is that staff are prioritized on waitlists for affordable homes. That will require town councilors to also support the move.
