'Are you winging it?’
‘Are you
winging it?’
By Carolyn Reid
FALMOUTH — Pendleton County Sheriff Jared Brewer appeared before the county Fiscal Court last Tuesday to answer several questions about his proposed budget for 2025.
Judge/Executive David Fields was unable to attend, so Magistrate Alan Whaley presided over the meeting. County Attorney Stacy Sanning was not present.
Magistrate Rick Mineer had stated during the last regular meeting that he wanted the sheriff to explain the budget and why, from his understanding, the budget showed a more than $100,000 discrepancy for the new year.
His summarizing question to the sheriff was, “Are you making an appropriate budget, or are you winging it?”
The fiscal court has answered several requests from the sheriff to add money to the budget, a process that is not unusual considering the tax base of the county and the need for around-the-clock coverage; however, Mineer made it clear the monies had been allocated a year ago to help with the coverage, and the county still does not have enough deputies to fulfill that role.
Brewer argued the county is lacking only nine hours of having full-time coverage, and those hours are covered by himself and the other deputies. He explained he had to work to find qualified candidates for a spot on his staff, and even when he finds a candidate, the academy and supervised training that person needs takes another year to fill the role.
Brewer also told the court he has lost deputies to Falmouth City Police, and to help counter that, he asked police Chief Marty Hart how much his officers are paid. With that answer, he wants to raise the wages of his deputies to help keep them on the county payroll, he said. That proposed move would add $8,000 to the payroll, he told the magistrates.
With that and some other adjustments, Mineer’s concern went from the $160,000 that was unaccounted for to seeing the budget as being cut too close for error, telling Brewer his next hire, the one he will make to fill the roster, is not allowed for by the budget.
Brewer reported the grant the office received this year. He also told the magistrates while vehicle inspection fees were tripled by the state, from $5 to $15, postage, firearms and ammunition and other expenses have increased. Six rifles were donated to the office.
Brewer said he also plans to keep a new vehicle in the budget for the new year, and he asked for the office manager to be given the cost-of-living increase she did not receive last year.
Magistrate Josh Plummer commented that he saw a deputy on his road around 3 a.m. He questioned why the price of a new Dodge Durango was in the budget.
Brewer said when the new hire comes on, they will not have enough vehicles, especially if one breaks down.
The sheriff and the magistrates expressed concerns that the county has the most accidents and fatalities in the state.
Mineer told Brewer he had been approached by a constituent who asked why no drug busts had happened since the sheriff took office. Mineer said that told the constituent he needed to see the sheriff with that question since the court has no jurisdiction over those matters.
(The sheriff is an elected official of his own right; the court only has say over what he receives from the general fund. The same is true of the county clerk.)
As he closed, Brewer submitted a budget amendment for his office in the total of $5,500, explaining his office is in the negative with overtime costs as well as the office manager’s salary.
Brewer said he had to hire someone from dispatch to cover the office manager’s position while she was out on vacation.
Mineer ended the court’s input with the statement, “We have given more money to Bewer’s office than any sheriff’s office to date.”
In other monetary concerns, Mineer pointed out the monthly costs of housing county inmates, a cost that was budgeted at $18,000 per month but has skyrocketed to $45,00 a month.
He was quick to point out that was no fault of the jailer, but it rests on the fact that there are so many people incarcerated by the county that those fees along with their medical bills are much more than they had planned.
The magistrates briefly mentioned checking into other facilities and other arrangements for inmate appearances. Mineer also brought up the fact that medical costs are hurting the county more, and County Treasurer Marianne Roseberry said she thought there was state funding available to help relieve the cost. She is to look more into that at the magistrates’ request.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business:
• The court approved a resolution allowing Judge/Executive David Fields to appoint limited power of attorney to an individual in North Carolina to sign the title for a tanker truck, initiating the transfer of that truck to the PC Fire Department.
• The contract with PDS, a mapping company, was renewed at the same price as last year.
• Angie Horn was appointed to the county Tourism Commission, replacing Lori Himmelsback, who was unable to continue in the role, and Brad Wright was appointed to the Recreation Commission to replace Adam Bruener, who resigned his spot.
• Magistrate comments revealed the judicial center’s maintenance has not been kept up according to contract by DeBra-Kuempel.
Since mid-October, they said, the facility has had problems with building upkeep because DeBra-Kuempel has not fulfilled its contract to be on-site one day a week. Mineer recommended the contract be sent out to bid.
• Magistrate Josh Plummer said animal control has asked that the court revisit ordinances because the office in encountering situations in the county that are not addressed by the current laws. They recommended Animal Control Officer John Bloomfield be called in to discuss the needs.
• The county clerk’s budget was left to be discussed during the upcoming caucus.
• The regular meeting that would have taken place on Christmas Eve was moved to Dec. 26. A special meeting agenda and notice will be posted.