Oak Ridge Today

Iwanski proposes solution to budget standoff over jailers, taxes

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Editor’s note: Anderson County Interim Mayor Myron Iwanski has proposed a solution to a budget standoff between county officials who don’t want to raise taxes and Sheriff Paul White, who says he needs at least 13 jailers to open a 128-bed minimum security dormitory. Here’s the proposal that Iwanski sent to county commissioners and staff members on Wednesday.

After last night’s meeting, I had a chance to talk to some of you, Sheriff White, and Avery Johnson about the sheriff’s budget. Based on your, the sheriff’s, and Avery’s input, I would like to offer a no-tax-increase solution for the sheriff’s budget that will allow the jail dormitory to be open and also address the longer term jail expansion staffing needs.

My proposal authorizes the sheriff to hire the 13 jailers he said he needs to open the new dormitory—but has some conditions that County Commission and the sheriff would need to agree to for us to do it in a fiscally responsible way.

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Anderson County jail budget standoff continues Monday

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Anderson County Commission Budget Meeting

Anderson County commissioners try to resolve a funding standoff with Sheriff Paul White, right, during a Monday night meeting. Also pictured from left are commissioners Johnny Alley, Jerry White, and Rick Meredith.

CLINTON–The sheriff insisted he needs at least 13 jailers to open a new dormitory this summer but the county commission would not raise property taxes again, so a budget standoff remained unresolved after a special meeting Tuesday night.

The Anderson County Budget Committee will wrestle with the budget again during an afternoon meeting next Monday, and the County Commission will hear any new proposals during its regular meeting that evening.

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Appointed last year, Patrick seeks election to Anderson County Commission

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Buzz Patrick

Patrick

Anderson County Commissioner Buzz Patrick was appointed to his seat last year, and now he’s seeking to be elected to the 16-member legislative body in an Aug. 2 special election.

The Commission appointed Patrick to the District 8 seat in March 2011, filling it after former commissioner Myron Iwanski was named Anderson County interim mayor.

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Anderson County Commission gives sheriff an extra $203,000

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Anderson County Commission

Anderson County commissioners vote to give the Sheriff's Department an extra $200,000 to hire five jailers for a minimum-security dormitory expected to open this month.

CLINTON — Trying to find a compromise, Anderson County officials used more optimistic projections for property and sales tax revenue collections to give the Sheriff’s Department an extra $203,000 in next year’s budget, enough to hire five jailers.

However, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White had requested 15 jailers to staff a 128-bed minimum security dormitory expected to open this month.

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County could resolve $1.8 million impasse over sheriff’s funding tonight

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Myron Iwanski

Iwanski

A $1.8 million impasse over funding for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department could be resolved tonight.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White has requested extra money in his budget to buy new cars, cover higher costs, and hire 15 jailers for a minimum security jail dormitory expected to open by June, among other things.

But so far, county officials, including Anderson County Mayor Myron Iwanski, have seemed reluctant to provide the additional funding.

“There’s no way they can do it without a tax increase,” Iwanski said Monday morning. “There’s very little interest in a tax increase.”

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