WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Council is expected to pass third and final reading of the FY 2024-25 budget during its regular meeting Monday night, June 24.
After council voted at the June 10 meeting to approve the first eight of 10 motions to amend the budget, the issue of pay raises for the Sheriff’s office hit a snag. Fairfield leaders backed off approving final reading in the face of push back from the community and one council member over concerns about adequate pay for Sheriff’s deputies.
Fairfield residents peppered council members with complaints over the budget, saying it failed to adequately compensate sheriff deputies. After several failed motions regarding the pay raises, Councilwoman Peggy Swearingen, the lone voice to call for a $47,500 starting salary for deputies, called for a deferral which passed unanimously.
Chief Deputy Brad Douglas told council members the sheriff’s office traditionally suffers from staffing shortages due to low pay.
Douglas further said the Town of Winnsboro recently raised starting pay to $50,000 for public safety personnel, making it even harder for Fairfield to compete.
“We go to career fairs and get little if any interest because other agencies would be setting up right beside us and offering so much more than we could,” he said. “We’ve even minimized our uniform costs. We’ve done away with dress uniforms because we can’t afford them.”
Despite the council failing to adopt a budget, council chairman Doug Pauley said all county employees have council member support.
“We appreciate every single employee that we have,” Pauley said. “We want to make sure all of our employees are compensated well and that we take care of them.”
In its current form, the budget includes a 2% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all county employees.
Councilman Clarence Gilbert made an amended motion to offer 3% COLA and increase starting salaries for deputies to $45,000. The current range for deputies is $43,445 to $46,225, according to county staff.
Councilwoman Peggy Swearingen made a substitute motion to increase starting pay to $47,500 for deputies, but without including COLAs.
“Do you think $45,000 is [enough]? You all are happy with that?” Swearingen asked council members. “Here’s one [proposal] for $47,500. What’s wrong with that one?”
After a few moments of silence, Swearingen continued. She said starting pay for deputies in surrounding counties overshadows Fairfield starting pay.
“This is Economics 101. They’re all playing Major League baseball, and we’re back here playing t-ball,” she said. “We need to get in the ball game. I cannot agree to $45,000.”
Swearingen’s substitute motion failed 6-1, with Pauley, and council members Shirley Greene, Clarence Gilbert, Tim Roseboro, Dan Ruff, and Neil Robinson voting against.
Councilman Dan Ruff motioned to raise starting pay to $46,000 and keep the 3% increases for all county employees. Ruff reasoned new deputy hires would start off making essentially $47,500 with the COLA factored in.
Pauley explained that the COLA was only for current employees, not new hires.
Swearingen pointed out that Ruff’s compromise could create a scenario where entry level deputies would earn more than existing employees.
Councilman Gilbert offered to further amend the motion to ensure all deputies see their pay increased to at least $46,000 plus receive the COLA, but Swearingen said that still raised equity issues.
“I think we’re going to have to table this and take it back to HR or somewhere and get this straightened out,” Swearingen said.
At that point, the budget went into procedural retreat.
County Attorney Tommy Morgan advised that tabling the budget vote required rescinding all previous budget motions made Monday night, which was done.
Another tipping point for those addressing council was adequate funding of the animal shelter.
Speaker Don Goldbach questioned the $4 million that the county claims it is underspent as of the end of May.
“If those numbers are accurate, then we have a $4 million surplus through 11 months of this fiscal year, and should be able to target that money for emergency services, the Sheriff’s office, fire service, EMS and the animal shelter,” Goldbach said. “If those numbers are not accurate, Mr. Chairman, then we need to understand why they aren’t.”
Speaker Kathy Faulk, president of Hoof and Paw, called on council to fund a part tine veterinarian for the shelter, which she called a dire necessity. The motions list include $96,885 for a part tine veterinarian to be voted on at the June 24 meeting.
Third reading is now tentatively scheduled for June 24. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m., at the County Government Complex.
Michael Smith contributed to this story.
