Lawrence County Sees Positive Impacts After the County Commission Meeting

Following the County Commission meeting in Lawrenceburg last week, the budget for the county has made positive impacts on many businesses and resources. In 2023–2024, the Statewide School Resource Officer (SRO) Program Grant was established to establish an SRO at each public K–12 school in Tennessee. Despite having already provided funding for SROs at all of our schools, Lawrence County receives $1,050,000 a year under this program, or $75,000 per school. To give much-needed raises and reduce the rate of turnover among deputies and correctional officers, Sheriff John Myers requested that the funds we had been allocating for SROs remain in his budget. Myers consented to wait since we had to use some of the money elsewhere at the time. Since then, the county has gradually raised the sheriff’s pay scale. A three percent increase that restores the initial SRO expense to Myers’ budget was approved by the commissioners. The Department will thereafter pay wages that are competitive with those of the surrounding counties and cities. When new cops depart after a few months for a somewhat greater salary, the money spent on their uniforms and training won’t be wasted.