NORTH BEND —  The city of North Bend and others in the county may have to pay for a local narcotics agency to continue its efforts to fight drug trafficking.

Toby Floyd, director of the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team, told the North Bend City Council on Tuesday that SCINT is running out of money. He asked the city if it could pay about $520 a month beginning July 1 to keep the team running, by paying a portion of his salary and benefits. SCINT serves Coos, Curry and Western Douglas counties.

According to a SCINT estimate, the amount each city will be asked to pay is dependent on its population. In North Bend’s case, a population of about 9,544 people means $520 or about $6,237 a year. Floyd’s salary and benefits are priced at $41,580, the document states. Coos Bay, will be asked to pay about $10,400 a year and Coos County tops the list at almost $17,672.

Floyd said the services the city has enjoyed for years will soon disappear unless he can obtain dedicated funding. He noted that SCINT received a grant from the Coquille Tribal Community Fund for about $41,000, but that won’t last the full year.

“We’re plagued with an epidemic that is not going away,” Floyd said, referring to methamphetamine use. “I hope we can survive this tough time.”

He added that the majority of the North Bend Police Department’s call load is related to drug abuse.

Councilor Bill Richardson seemed concerned, noting that he learned during the city’s work session on Monday that if SCINT is disbanded, much of its investigative equipment will leave the community.

“I think that will be a shame,” Richardson said.

The SCINT director predicted drug crimes likely would increase without SCINT. The team serves as a liaison with the Drug Enforcement Administration and assists in larger cases that sometimes take years to investigate. He noted that many people arrested on possession of methamphetamine charges spend few days in custody and are often repeat offenders.

“We deal with a lot of repeat customers. It’s a very addictive drug,” Floyd said.

He added that SCINT is also very short-handed, as he is the sole person conducting investigations because of budget cuts.

Police Chief Steve Scibelli said a federal grant that helped fund the program and others like it was cut by 65 percent last year, but hopes it will be re-established via President Obama’s stimulus package.

City Administrator Jan Willis said city staff members likely will bring the topic back to the council prior to the city’s budget hearings in April. She said Floyd’s request will probably be considered in the budget process.

Julie Simpson and Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier, representing SCINT, appeared before the Coquille City Council on Feb. 2. The council didn’t approve the proposal, which asked the city to pay a little more than $2,700, but offered to have the city’s budget committee consider it.

Coos Bay City Manager Chuck Freeman said SCINT has been invited to speak to the city’s Public Safety Standing Council Committee meeting on Feb. 23. Members of the committee, which includes Stephanie Kramer, Gene Melton and John Pundt, could offer a funding recommendation for the full council.