Sheriff forms Budget Oversight Committee

GAINESVILLE - Hall County Sheriff Steve Cronic says he is forming a Budget Oversight Committee.

Cronic told Al Gainey & Company (AM 550 and FM 102.9 WDUN) its formation follows discussions with Gainesville real estate executive Frank Norton, JR., who recently sought detailed information on what it costs to run the sheriff's office.

"We're going to give them a lot of authority to put everything on the table and let's look at it and see what we can do in the future," Cronic said.

The sheriff's department, like a number of other county departments, has been under the microscope in recent months as the county commission struggles with an $11.5 million budget shortfall.

Norton says he welcomes formation of the committee and is among those who have agreed to serve on it.

He said while he is still asking questions "I've got a much better idea of the complexities of the operation of the sheriff's department."

Sheriff Cronic says others who have been tapped for the committee include two former county commission chairmen and a retired sheriff. Also on board Cronic says is an attorney who is a retired federal magistrate judge "who can look at legal issues as we move forward and looking at ways we may can cut and do so without damaging our constitutional responsibilities and the things we are required to do by the law."

CUTS IN THE HCSO

Also during part two of a two-part appearance on the program, Cronic said accusations that his department has not had any cuts over the past few years and during the current budget crisis are "not true."

Cronic said his employee roster has remained "flat" the past three years even though the workload has increased and he recently eliminated two "frozen" positions as part of this year's cutbacks. He also said the department has not purchased any new patrol cars in the past three years using county funds, "we have been taping them together," although 13 were bought last year using "seizure" funds, money taken in drug busts, etc.

Unfunded mandates also have an impact on the department, Cronic said, noting in particular the loss of a full-time investigator who had to be designated to monitor the county's 300+ registered sex offenders.