The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met on Monday morning to discuss issues and proposals within the county. During the appropriate section the representative of Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Russ VanRenterghem, stepped forward.
Sheriff VanRenterghem inquired that the board seek out the possibility of granting the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office with another deputy. VanRenterghem noted that the intended purpose of this deputy would be to investigate the growing drug problem statewide, as well as within Mahaska County.
VanRenterghem mentioned the use of a grant that could assist with either bringing back a deputy that was once laid-off or instating a new one to the department. He also noted that this position would be necessary after having four overdose deaths since the beginning of the 2017 year within the Mahaska County limits; two of those being in Oskaloosa city limits.