County public safety leaders described workforce retention challenges and a stressed vehicle fleet.

An official speaking for the sheriff's office (Speaker 2) traced retention losses to the COVID period and competing employers, saying some deputies left for school districts and private employers offering higher pay. The representative said money is a principal factor: "The biggest 1 is money... that's helping, but at the same time, you got these younger people... are chasing the bag," and noted the county has increased salaries and a retention program.

On vehicles, staff said SPLOST funds replaced about 12 cars this past year but that many patrol cars have more than 200,000 miles. "We replaced about 12 cars this past year with SPLOST dollars, but these cars are well over 200,000 miles," the representative said.

Commissioners discussed retention incentives and asked whether training or certification payback agreements could require employees who leave shortly after certification to reimburse costs. County counsel and staff explained that the county currently uses a two-year repayment agreement tied to certification: if an employee leaves before two years they must repay training costs; longer mandatory repayment terms raise legal and labor concerns.

Why it matters: public-safety staffing and reliable vehicles are central to response capability. Commissioners said they want to sustain personnel and fleet readiness as SPLOST funding winds and future funding decisions are considered.

No formal policy change was adopted at the forum; staff described current practices and legal constraints and said recruitment and retention remain priorities for 2026.