The Athens County Sheriff’s Office is receiving $1.66 million in 2013 from the Athens County Commissioners, and Sheriff Pat Kelly wants more.
After approaching the commissioners last week, Kelly said he needed more funding for the Sheriff’s Office in order to replace an empty deputy position from 2011. The Sheriff’s Office currently has 12 deputies on staff.
“I had approached the commissioners at the first of the year about replacing a position from 2011 that I didn’t fill once one of the deputies left because we were trying to balance out the budget,” Kelly said. “I want to get the position back mainly because the deputies on the shifts are covering a lot of the small villages now.”
The Sheriff’s Office is required by law to cover the villages and other peripheral areas of the county, including Glouster, Chauncey, Trimble and Jacksonville, in addition to Athens.
“We’re running probably four or five (deputies) behind the APD and OUPD, and we have more jurisdictions and more people to cover, so the parallel between the two is not even, and neither is the pay,” Kelly said.
The problem remains that the commissioners do not have enough money in the budget to handle Kelly’s request, Commissioner Charlie Adkins said.
“There’s no question I’m in support of his request — it’s very important for our community, and they’re doing a heck of a job,” Adkins said. “We’re going to have to get money from somewhere else, though. It just has to be done the right way.”
On average, the beginning pay for a deputy in the Sheriff’s Office is $62,000, including benefits, but not including equipment and a vehicle, Kelly said.
Of the $1.66 million budget, about 85 percent of the money is salary-based, while the other 15 percent is used for supplies, contracts, vehicle repairs, and other needs, Kelly said.
“Ideally, we would be well-off with $3 million,” Kelly said. “I don’t see that happening anytime soon, but that’s what I would like to see happen.”
Though there is not enough money in the commissioners’ budget to fill Kelly’s needs, Mayor Paul Wiehl said he doesn’t blame Kelly for asking for more money.
“Like any head of an organization, Kelly wants more resources so they can do better. That’s how we do things in Athens,” he said. “The thing is, we just don’t have the money to do everything all at once. Those are the issues. I don’t fault him for being in support of his office and asking for more. He has to push for it.”
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