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Lee County Sheriff Seeks More CO's

The Lee County Board of Supervisors is considering a request to add staff at the jail.

Sheriff Jim Sholl says in 2003, the county employed 15 full-time correctional officers and four part-time CO's.  

He says budget cuts cost his department two of the full-time positions.

Sholl wants to return to that 2003 level, thus his request to the supervisors to hire two new CO's.

He says overtime is an issue for his department that will only get worse because of the Affordable Care Act.

Sholl says the requirement that part-time employees who work more than 30-hours per week receive health insurance coverage means he will not be able to use them to fill shifts.

He says the two new full-timers would work regular shifts unless they are filling in for someone who is out of the office or on leave.

They will also make it easier for correctional officers to take time off from work.

Sholl says if the supervisors approve his request, next week, he plans to promote from within and then back-fill the part-time positions.

The supervisors did authorize him to replace a current full-time correctional officer who was recently terminated.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.