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Gregg County approves $250,000 jail overtime transfer; sheriff also clears funds for radios and repairs
Summary
The Gregg County Commissioners Court approved a $250,000 transfer to cover jail overtime after the sheriff reported staffing shortfalls (13 open positions). The court also approved funds to buy seven Motorola N70 radios and transfers for HVAC and water heater replacements.
The Gregg County Commissioners Court approved multiple sheriff office budget transfers on Feb. 17 to address staffing, equipment and facility needs at the county jail and in patrol operations.
Sheriff briefed the court that jail staffing shortfalls had increased to 13 open positions (11 jailers and two deputies), up from eight previously reported, and said one hire had left for another law enforcement agency while others left for pay or for disciplinary reasons. To cover current overtime and jail operations, the sheriff requested a $250,000 transfer from salary and operations lines into overtime; the court approved the transfer on a motion by Commissioner Bostic.
The sheriff also sought funds to purchase handheld radios for patrol. An updated quote reduced the per‑unit cost, allowing purchase of seven Motorola N70 handheld radios for a total of $54,413.93; the sheriff asked that the motion allow acquisition of seven units rather than six, and the court approved the purchase.
County staff requested additional transfers to cover replacement and repair costs at the jails: a transfer to cover north jail HVAC system work (contract proposals were described near $78,000) and a transfer of $50,000 to address south jail water heater replacements while staff resolve scope differences between vendor bids. The court approved both transfers and the sheriff said facilities remain operational and in compliance while replacements proceed.
Why it matters: the overtime transfer and equipment purchases respond to an immediate staffing shortfall and aging equipment that county officials said affect jail operations and patrol readiness. The sheriff indicated the staffing deficits are a combination of hires leaving for other agencies, pay differentials and other personnel issues.
The court also discussed limits on using skilled inmate labor after recent state changes in time credit policies; the court approved use of inmate labor for a nonprofit project at an old deer unit in White Oak under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure article 43.10 paragraph 4.
The court passed the sheriff items by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
