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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- The Adair County Sheriff's Office is asking for $1.4 million for 2012's overall operating budget.

Sheriff Robert Hardwick and his staff met with the Adair County Commissioners Thursday morning to present their proposal for the first time.

Hardwick said it's a lean budget and a half a million less than the last year's budget.

"We had to make some sacrifices," said Hardwick. "Just like everyone else has throughout this country, throughout this state...they had to make some financial sacrifices. We have to do the same thing. You have to be frugal with tax dollars and use your tax dollars the best way you can within your means. We take that into consideration all the time. That's why we had to adjust some personnel and move some people around to cut some costs."

According to Hardwick, they have reduced the amount of money they're proposing to use from the Law Enforcement Sales Tax by about $133,000. He said they cut costs by downgrading one position to part-time and transferring another position to the county's budget.

If approved, $700,000 of the budget would go towards the office's general operating funds and the other $700,000 would go towards the operating costs to run the jail. The money used to operate the jail comes from the Adair County's Law Enforcement Sales Tax.

Hardwick said he is optimistic about the county commissioners approving the budget proposal however, he said the process could be held up if the county commissioners decide against using the county's countryside medical account to fund inmates' medical care, which Hardwick estimates to cost around $40,000 a year. During the meeting, Commissioner Mark Thompson expressed reluctance to approve using the countryside medical account to fund this measure. Hardwick told KTVO that the account is "designated" to pay for indigent healthcare for inmates but for the past three years, he said the commissioners have denied using funds from the countryside account to cover inmates' medical costs. He said he hopes this year will be different.

The Commissioners have until mid January to approve the budget.

In other budget news, the County Commissioners have voted to give all county employees, including elected officials, a 2.4 percent cost of living allowance (COLA) raise. Commissioners said this will affect about 100 employees and will equate to about a $480 extra a year for someone whose salary is $20,000.