The Live Oak City Council voted 4-0 on Oct. 21 to authorize a one-year law-enforcement services agreement with Sutter County capped at $1.855 million. Councilmember Nancy Santana was absent. The agreement is set to run from Dec. 1, 2026, through Nov. 30, 2027, subject to minor, non-substantive revisions approved by the city attorney, according to the city’s council agenda and staff packet.
The agreement changes the city’s regular coverage model. Sheriff Brandon Barnes told the council that Live Oak generally will have one deputy assigned around the clock, with backup coming from elsewhere in the county when needed. Emergency and higher-priority calls, including domestic violence and robberies in progress, remain the focus.
Many lower-priority calls — including abandoned vehicles, noise complaints and some animal complaints — generally will not receive an immediate deputy response. City Manager Ben Moody said those calls may be routed through an automated reporting and triage system, referred to another city function or directed to online self-reporting. Sheriff’s supervisors would retain discretion to respond when circumstances warrant, according to the council meeting discussion.
Barnes described the arrangement as a minimum level of service and said the reduced staffing could require outside backup for major incidents. Moody said the agreement is expected to save about $1 million annually compared with the prior service model, but those savings come with reduced services.
The contract also comes as Live Oak’s budget remains structurally out of balance. Moody said the city had reduced annual spending from about $15 million to roughly $11 million but still faced a structural deficit of about $800,000. Under the new agreement, he said, the gap would rise to roughly $900,000, leaving additional work on the city’s budget and fire-services contract.
Moody also described Measure G as a potential revenue source projected to generate about $750,000 to $800,000 annually if approved, though he said it would not fully resolve the city’s financial problems. The city’s staff packet identifies the county and the Sutter County sheriff as parties to the agreement; the packet also names the Sutter County Board of Supervisors as the county authorization body.
