The Florence County Sheriff’s Office presented three separate grants during Thursday’s county council meeting.
Due to previous funding requests from the agency, council members are trying to decide if these grants are necessary.
“I feel like some decisions are already going to be made this upcoming budget as to whether we give your deputies a raise or do we pick up the tab on those existing traffic units,” said council member Jason Springs.
Florence County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Anthony Fox said the grants will help reduce traffic collisions. The grant would pay for three traffic safety deputies, a DUI prosecutor, and an additional DUI enforcement deputy.
“Those numbers and availability of funds may change, so if we’re allowed to apply for them and then we receive determination as to what we’re allowed to do or if the council makes seperate determination in that time period we can adjust from there,” said Lt. Fox.
Council members and the sheriff’s office were going back and fourth because this come just two months after Sheriff Kenney Boone requested pay raises for his agency.
“We’re wondering where would we get the money from and if we can get then money,” said chairman Waymon Mumford.
Lt. Fox said the sheriff’s office has a deadline to apply for these new grants by February 1, but some members are not fully on board because once the three-year program ends, council will be responsible for funding.
“My reading of it says we must keep them employed, and I don’t know that we’re going to have funds to be able to do that with limitation from Act 388,” said council member James Schofield.
Florence County Council members will meet next week with administration and finance to talk more about the grants. Stay with WBTW for updates on this story.