Sheriff outlines jail, vehicle and technology needs; commission hears options to accelerate vehicle replacement
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Summary
The sheriff's office asked the commission for SPLOST funding for jail expansion, vehicles and technology; commissioners discussed alternative financing to buy vehicles sooner using year‑end unspent funds.
Chief Lewis Blanchard, speaking for the sheriff's office, summarized three SPLOST priorities: jail renovations and expansion, vehicle fleet replacement and technology upgrades. He said the sheriff originally requested $115,000,000 for the jail but the draft SPLOST includes $65,000,000. "We're 300 plus overcrowded in the jail," Blanchard said, noting staff would use about $15,000,000 for renovations and $50,000,000 toward new beds.
On vehicles, the sheriff's office sought $18,000,000 (based on a five‑year replacement cycle) and asked for at least $15,000,000; the commission's draft reduced that to $12,000,000. Blanchard said the office needs about $3,000,000 per year to keep the vehicle fleet under nine years old and urged the commission to consider alternatives. He proposed using unspent salary dollars later in the year to purchase vehicles now if SPLOST allocations are insufficient. "If you will allow us to take that line item...and allow us to order vehicles," he said, the fleet replacement could be accelerated without harming the operating budget.
Blanchard also emphasized technology needs — the sheriff had requested $2,000,000 for technology upgrades that were cut in the draft. Commissioners acknowledged jail overcrowding and vehicle age as pressing needs and asked staff to explore options, but no funding decisions were finalized during the session.
