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Carter County approves short‑term funding to add courthouse security staff
Summary
After an urgent request from the sheriff, the Carter County Commission approved a $12,000 appropriation from general unassigned funds to hire one full‑time and one part‑time officer to staff a single point of entry at the courthouse through the end of this fiscal year.
Sheriff Dexter Lunceford asked the Carter County Board of Commissioners on March 15 for immediate help to staff a single point of entry at the main courthouse, saying his current budget did not include the positions needed to finish that security project. Lunceford said the county would ultimately need about $50,000 a year to fund one full‑time and one part‑time position and cover training, but asked for interim funding to cover the remainder of the current fiscal year.
The commission suspended its normal rules to consider the urgent request and approved a motion to appropriate $12,000 from the General Unassigned Fund Balance to hire one full‑time and one part‑time courthouse security officer. The appropriation passed by roll call vote with 23 yes and one absent.
Commissioners and staff noted the request had not previously been presented to the Budget Committee because of timing and said the expense will be considered as part of the 2021–2022 budget process. The appropriation account numbers were recorded in the minutes.
The sheriff also entered the Carter County Sheriff's Office Employee Handbook into the record at the meeting. The commission recorded the handbook submission and the appropriation in the meeting minutes; the sheriff’s longer‑term staffing and training costs will be part of the next budget cycle.
