GROVETON — Lead Jailer Leann Sikes pleaded with the Trinity County Commissioners Court to increase the staff at the jail because there is not enough people to fulfill all of the requirements of the position or to allow for time off.
At the Oct. 13 meeting, Sikes said during public forum that while the county had cut the staff for budgetary reasons, they did not nor could not cut the responsibilities, which were becoming more and more difficult given the staffing issues.
She said he has one jailer that is a member of the National Guard, one jailer with a broken arm, and with the requirements of the state, with transport, medical emergencies and added dispatcher requirements, it was becoming a problem meeting all requirements, while at the same time road work did not suffer.
Jaques Ballard, a field representative with Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas, said it’s unconscionable that with the additional funding provided by the state, combined with a tax increase, that positions were eliminated from an overburdened and undermanned sheriff’s office.
Ballard also said that “appropriate notifications have been made” through CLEAT’s legislative representation in hopes that the Legislature will revisit law enforcement funding for rural communities.
Commissioner Tommy Park, who filled out a public forum speaker request form to allow him to respond to Sikes, said that he disagreed with Sikes’ characterization, and pointed out his road department was cut by $80,000, and that the jail department’s budget was increased by $335,000 to reserve beds in the Angelina County jail.
He also said that taxpayers shouldn’t be held at fault since some jailers had resigned and left positions open.
No action was taken since the discussion was done during public forum.
In a separate matter, Orrin Hargrave tendered his resignation as County Treasurer. He told commissioners that he has a new work opportunity that was a better fit for he and his family.
Hargrave also had opted not to run for re-election.
The court accepted the resignation and appointed Rebecca Kesinger, who currently is the deputy treasurer and the sole candidate for treasurer in the November election, as treasurer for the interim.
In other business, the county:
