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Vol. 143, No. 16 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, June 7, 2023 - $1.00
Sheriff explains request for $ 13 million budget
Sheriff Alfonzo Williams has
requested a $13 million budget for
2024. The proposed budget includes
$4,970,000 for the detention center,
an increase of $1,696,190 over the
2023 revised budget. The requested
increase includes approximately
$400,000 more to be allocated to
salaries. A notation states that new
hires will start out at $ 18.29 per hour.
Currently, employees making less
than $ 18.29 per hour will be bumped
up to the new starting wage.
The proposed budget amount also
includes a request for $9,461,333.28
for the Sheriff’s Office, representing
an approximate $1.8 million increase
over the 2023 revised budget. The
increase allows for higher pay for
new hires and existing personnel to
$20.31 per hour.
“We’ve done studies that indicate
that we are paid $2.54 per hour less
than most departments in our area
and it’s very difficult to recruit peo
ple to come into this business now,”
Williams stated in an interview with
The True Citizen Monday. “We say
we can’t afford it but what we can’t
afford is to continue the turnover
because we are paying for it in other
ways.” Last week, during the BCSO
Transparent Table Talk, Sheriff
Alfonzo Williams spoke about the
need for a larger budget. During the
approximately 19-minute YouTube
video, Williams said that $7 million
of his department’s current $10.8
million budget goes straight to sala
ries to pay BCSO, detention center
and court personnel and school
resource officers. However, he said
the Board of Education reimburses
the BCSO for 100% of the cost per
taining to school resource officers.
Another $1 million goes to cover
insurance provided by BlueCross
BlueShield. Workers’ compensation,
retirement, Medicare, life insurance
and dental insurance costs the BCSO
another $1.2 million.
Utilities cost $160,000, he said.
Inmate meals total $240,000. Fuel
ing up the patrol cars costs $375,000
per year. $200,000 is used for grant
matching. Vehicle parts are costing
the department $60,000. Uniforms
and office supplies total $140,000.
“As you can see at the end of the
day, at $10.8 million, very little of
that money does the Sheriff have
much control over in
SEE
terms of what we do,” he
said in the video. WILLIAMS,
In support of higher 6
Burke County High School Beta Club
members continue their efforts to honor the
late Mayor Pauline Jenkins by placing an oil
portrait in City Hall.
Jenkins was not only Waynesboro’s first
female mayor but also the city’s first African
American mayor. She is fondly remembered
for her kindness to all people and her great
love for Waynesboro.
The BCHS Beta Club team wishes to thank
the following local businesses and individuals
who have generously supported the project
thus far: First National Bank,
Clark Pharmacy, Paul Thigpen
PIPTIIRF
Ford, Councilman Dick Byne, rioiunc,
BCPS Superintendent Dr. An- 3
Freaknik Bash
canceled this year
A Scramblerz CoffeeBar Face-
book post read early last week:
“Good Afternoon. As much as we
fought to bring FreakNik to Burke
County this year, we are sorry to
inform everyone this late of notice,
but our event will be canceled un
til further notice. The Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives was contacted and many
reports were made and the venue was
canceled. To prevent any unneces
sary arrests or unnecessary citations,
we will have to postpone. Sorry for
the inconvenience. We were looking
forward to it just like everyone else!
Thanks to everyone for the support,
we will try again next year.”
Waynesboro City Manager Valerie
Kirkland said she and the council
were misled by applicant Melissa
Brayboy, owner of Scramblerz Cof
feeBar in Midville. The panel ap
proved the June 17 event, however
Brayboy never informed Waynes
boro city officials the event was an
adult-only party.
Bird Dog Training Clinic
The Burke County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Bird Dog Train
ing Clinic by local Hall of Fame Field Trial Handler Harold Ray. Executive
Director Ashley Roberts said the clinic will be held on Saturday, June 10th
& Sunday, June 11 th at his farm. “While the 15 spots for dogs are full, the
opportunity is open for anyone who wants to observe the training techniques
of one of the best in the country,” Roberts said. The morning will focus on
classroom education and the afternoon will feature demonstrations. Rob
erts added, “This sport is very special to Waynesboro - Burke County. It is
our claim to fame since 1947 when we were named the Bird Dog Capital
of the World.” For more information, contact the Burke County Chamber
of Commerce at 706-554-5451
Cost vs. benefit:
Examining the Archway partnership
Heading toward a quarter of a mil
lion dollars and its third year, is the
Archway Partnership a wise use of
taxpayers’ money?
The mission of UGA’s Archway
Partnership program includes con
necting Georgia communities with
higher education resources to ad
dress locally-identified community
and economic development needs.
Burke County’s Archway partner
ship costs $71,700 per year, divided
among the Board of Commissioners,
the City of Waynesboro, the Board
of Education, the Chamber of Com
merce, the Development Authority
and Augusta Technical College, ac
cording to Archway PR Coordinator
Baker Owens. The initial agreement
includes a 5-year term.
The first year is primarily designed
to learn about the needs of the com
munity, hiring a local Archway pro
fessional and building relationships
with local stakeholders, according
to Owens.
Burke County’s first year con
sisted of scheduling listening ses
sions that encouraged public input,
a housing and workforce data fact
sheet comprised by Archway stu
dents to assist in determining how
to approach housing and workforce
development issues and a leadership
and personality assessment to help
local leaders understand how to work
together effectively.
“Student and faculty projects tend
to pick up gradually in the following
years,” Owens said.
Burke County’s Archway Profes
sional Aaron Redmond recently an
nounced during a BOC meeting that
UGA students submitted a design
plan for the proposed passive park
on Hwy. 24. The value of the work
the students completed was approxi
mately $10,000, Redmond stated.
However, the County will contribute
a total of $90,000 to the partnership
during its first three years. The BOC
elected to continue with their share
this year, after discussions took place
about how to get more value out of
the program.
“That’s where you have to weigh
it out,” said County g^
Manager Merv Wal
drop. “Are we get- ARCHWAY
ting enough expertise 5
Aaron Redmond is the Burke
County Archway Professional.
His office is located in the Historic
Courthouse.