Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 4 · column 5 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
Significant
Action
To the editor: Last Thursday, our Supervisors summarily dismissed our Sheriffs request for an additional deputy, for the third year in a row. While this might not seem like a very significant action to many people, it has important consequences when one looks at the facts.
First, there is the question of the need for an additional deputy. Each year recently the work load carried by the Sheriffs Department has increased — more warrants, more legal papers to serve, more court dates to attend, more investigations and emergency calls, etc. More of everything, yet the same number of deputies to do the work. Our deputies are presently scheduled for at least 72 hours a week, and with court appearances and other demands often coming in “off’ hours, they surely put in over 80 hours a week. All of this for a salary that starts at $7500, and they still must supply their own car and gun. This divides out to $1.80 per hour or less at the starting salary.
How many of us would work an occasionally dangerous and always Remanding job for very long at that wage? And how can we in good conscience ask our county employees to do so? We citizens have the right to expect action from the Sheriffs Department when we need it, and the Sheriff and his deputies try to provide that. But how long can we expect them to continue doing it under these circumstances? Clearly, the additional deputy is needed.
Second, there is the question of cost. The salary of a new deputy is $7500, but the state pays two thirds of that if the position is approved. This leaves thdteost to the county at $2500. Mileage payments overall
82.2%