County passes budget; Sheriff's Office still has loose ends
By RITA DWIGGINS HOOVER
GENEVA – The county passed its 2010 budget this morning during a public hearing packed with Sheriff's police personnel, many of whom are facing lay-offs due to budget cuts.
Several in the standing-room-only crowd held signs with the slogan "Stop Taking Our Police," as board members listened to concerns expressed by the sheriff's unions and officers, who complained that the 2010 budget is stretching an already struggling department too thin.
In addition, sheriff's employees are still in suspense over whether they will get their final paycheck in December, when officials say the office is expected to run over his yearly budget.
Before passing next year's budget, several board members admitted they felt the county's budget process is problematic and others spoke out to assure the sheriff's department that they support them and want to see the office funded appropriately.
Deputy Dennis Carroll, president of the union that represents the sheriff's employees, said that he felt today held a small victory because many board members were vocal about their support of the department.
"It is a good day to start from," Carroll said.
The board will meet Nov. 24 to discuss whether or not to fund the department's last payroll of the fiscal year.
Read more in Wednesday's Chronicle and at www.KCChronicle.com.
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