Limestone sheriff gets part of budget requests

By Holly Hollman
hhollman@decaturdaily.com · 340-2445

ATHENS — County leaders aren't giving Sheriff Mike Blakely everything he requested for the fiscal 2008 budget, but he will get more cars and staff.

On Monday, the Limestone County Commission approved its budget, totaling $25,118,637.

The Sheriff's Department, jail, work-release, school resource officers and courthouse security will receive 62.4 percent of the overall budget, $6,287,425.

Blakely had made a $7.5 million request, which included seven new employees and 20 patrol cars to replace those with more than 100,000 miles.

The approved budget gives the sheriff 10 patrol cars and five new employees. The new employee positions are one deputy and four jailers. The budget also increased starting pay for deputies from $12.05 an hour to $12.92 an hour.

The commission's budget also includes a 3 percent cost-of-living raise for all county employees.

A majority of agencies that receive an annual appropriation received level funding. The county did raise its allocation to the Athens-Limestone Public Library from $71,500 to $75,000.

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