The Fayette County Sheriff's

Department could become a lot more crowded later this year if the Fayette

County Commission adopts the department's proposed budget of nearly $13

million.

During a budget workshop session

last Wednesday, the County Commission heard the department wants to hire

65 new employees.

The new hires would be distributed

throughout the department: 57 to staff the new jail, one in the criminal

investigations division, one in traffic, one in administration and five

officers in the patrol division.

Finance Director Mark Pulliam

explained that nearly $1.5 million of the sheriff's budget would be placed

in a separate fund to hire the new jail employees.

"By doing it this way,

we're saving the county some money. It's just not realistic to expect

to hire all these employees July 1, when the new budget starts,"

he said.

The County Commission supported

the new hires, but sharp-eyed Commissioner Linda Wells noticed that adjustments

would have to be made to the final budget.

The department had originally

requested 66 officers for the jail, but staff recommended 57. In the recommended

budget, the staff did not back the numbers out for the nine officers that

were not approved.

The numbers caused some confusion

for the commissioners, who were not happy with not having the correct

totals.

"How could this happen?"

questioned Commission Chairman Greg Dunn.

Pulliam explained this is the

first year the Sheriff's Department has had to departmentalize its budget,

and the way the figures are now shown conform to state codes, but can

be confusing.

"We'll work next year

to streamline the budget," he said.

The sheriff's budget is almost

one third of the county's $44.5 million general fund budget and has grown

steadily in the past few years. In 2000, the sheriff's budget was $8.5

million and increased to $9.2 million in 2001. In 2002, the department's

budget surpassed the $10 million mark.

The County Commission is set

to discuss the budget at Thursday's 7 p.m. meeting at the Fayette County

Administrative Complex.

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