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Last updated on Thursday, November 29, 2018
(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Council approved the hiring of a new deputy and correctional officer at the Lawrence County Jail.
This deputy will fill the position after an employed deputy was called to active military duty for 400 days.
The Times Mail reports that the new deputy will be hired on the grounds that he or she will be paid less than the current deputy, and that if there is not a vacant deputy position when the officer returns, the lowest in seniority will be laid off.
Branham said recent employment trends in the department point to the likelihood there would be an opening, rather than a layoff.
He also explained although the department received the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Grant for $115,150 earlier this year, the funds for the projects need to be paid first, followed by grant reimbursement. Branham asked for the money to come from the county's Riverboat Fund to pay for officer overtime for drug interdiction and replacing the force's in-car camera system. Those funds will then be reimbursed by the grant monies.
Four transfers totaling $8,900 from the mental health professional, medical hospital, car repair and communications budgets were made to pay for gasoline for police cars. Branham attributed the need to rising gas prices. He said the medical fund had more in it than the jail will need to finish out the year.
Branham also requested $6,000 from the county General Fund to pay for inmate meals, because of more inmates being housed at the jail then budgeted for.
All of the funding requests by the sheriff's department were granted by council members.
Times Mail, https://www.hoosiertimes.com/tmnews/
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