The county sheriff’s budget balancing act faces an uncertain future.

On paper, the nearly $106 million Monterey County Sheriff’s Office budget will end this fiscal year in the black. But a deeper dive into the numbers reveals the department will significantly exceed several budget line items – including several million in overtime costs, according to the Monterey County budget division.

The Sheriff’s Office started the current fiscal year last July 1 with $3.9 million for overtime, despite knowing it wouldn’t be enough, says spokesman Cmdr. John Thornburg. At that time, the department had 30 openings it was attempting to fill.

Also contributing to the high overtime costs is extra jail staffing as a result of the settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by inmates who sued over health care, disability access and overcrowding issues in the jail. Another factor: jail renovation work that requires a deputy to accompany every contractor due to jail security policy, Thornburg says.

Overtime spending has been an issue for the Sheriff’s Department for years. It became a campaign issue in the 2014 election when Sheriff Steve Bernal was first elected, at a time when overtime was exceeding the budget more than $5 million. A 2012 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury report found the 2011-12 overtime budget was exceeded by 77 percent.

Despite high overtime costs so far this year, the Sheriff’s Office is on track to end the year with a $10,000 surplus.

Thornburg, who also serves as the sheriff’s hiring officer, says he’s been hiring deputies all year and is expecting to reach full operational staff strength by the start of the new fiscal year. Currently there are 314 sworn staff, including 23 recruits, leaving nine openings.

While Thornburg says the department is on track to have no vacancies, County Budget Director Paul Lewis says the Sheriff’s Office will have to find a way to make cuts or face a possible $5.1 million deficit in 2017-18. Lewis’ office is forecasting potential deficits over the next three years, rising to $11.3 million in 2019-20.

Since county departments can only submit balanced budgets, that means the sheriff may have to leave positions unfilled or make cuts in spending, Lewis says.

The “big drivers” in the potential deficits to come, Lewis says, include recently approved bargaining agreements with Monterey County Deputy Sheriffs Association and higher health benefit and pension costs.

Thornburg calls the budget office projections “only an estimate,” saying they will find ways to control costs. “We have no intentions of making cuts [to staff],” he says.