The Anderson Observer

On Tuesday night Anderson County Council approved in a contentious vote, an ordinance consolidating 17 public safety positions and five positions from animal control from the Anderson County Public Safety Division under the Anderson County Sheriff's Department.

The ordinance, which had been tabled in January before a third reading, passed despite Anderson County Councilman Moore's assertion that "to vote for this tonight would be a slap in teh face of the citizens of anderson couunty and county council." Moore and Anderson County Council Member Cindy Wilson opposed moving ahead with the ordinance at Tuesday's meeting.

"I will vote against this tonight, not because I think a major part of this shouldn't go through, but because of the these other questions that need to be answered before we vote," Wilson said.

County Councilman Tom Allen said keeping the current 17 public safety positions and transferring them to the sheriff's office would cost the county $2,200 per year per position more than the lowest bid the county received to outsource the public safety function. Allen said the experience of the current public safety employees would more than make up for the difference in the money. The total annual county budget for those 17 positions $711,790.

County Council Chairman Tommy Dunn said that public safety belongs under the sheriff's office and about giving the Park Police the authority to provide public safety.

Anderson County Sheriff John Skipper said the change would take effect Wednesday morning.

"As of tomorrow, they report to me," Skipper said. "I would hope we have the transition in the flow and structure in the next couple or days or a week. We have been preparing for this a long time."

County Council was told Tuesday that Anderson County's financial audit for the June 2008-June 2009 budget year found the county in "overall good financial condition" (as of June 30, 2009), but warned that "could change if fund balance continues to decrease." The audit also said the county should be "prepared for the continuing tough economy and difficult decisions needing to be made."

Larry Finney, speaking for the auditing firm Greene, Finney and Horton presented the audit which recommended the county adopt a formal fraud risk management program, and update a "very outdated" county accounting policies and procedures manual.