Commissioners and sheriff agree: We need more deputies on the road and working in the jail
The commissioners did not dispute the need for eight additional road deputies. If anything, they favor Woods bringing on more. They also support Woods proposal to hire four more detention deputies and four more detention assistants at the Marion County Jail, where all agree the existing staff needs reinforcement.
The commissioners objection was Woods plan to spend money elsewhere, such as five additional call takers for non-emergency calls at the communications center. The county believes that task can be handled by its existing staff.
Most of the first part of the funding, about $8.4 million, is currently paying for the school district’s greatly expanded summer school. That money includes funding to charted schools and the district s Marion Technical College.
“Most of the funding spans two years and is being spent on summer school,” said Greg Davis, a school district spokesman. He said that money includes salaries and benefits for teachers and paraprofessionals.
It will also cover “technology, including Chromebooks, laptops, licenses, and other software and items and equipment.”
On June 20, there were 6,144 students attending summer school: 3,455 in elementary, 1,283 in middle school and 1,786 in high school. That is about double the number of students who typically attend summer school.
Marion County Commissioner Kathy Bryant said she thinks it s an incredible opportunity for Woods. Bryant said Woods would be able to bring valuable insight to the community on what s happening at the border. She wishes she could be part of the delegation.
Marion Commission Chairman Jeff Gold said Woods budget presentation day was changed to allow for the trip. Gold said if Woods feels it s important to go to the border, then that s fine.
However, the commissioner said, we ve got problems here locally. Gold said that the Marion County Sheriff s Office is short on deputies for patrol and detention deputies for the Marion County Jail.
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods set to join Rep. Cammack s trip to U.S.-Mexico border Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner
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Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods is expected to be among the law enforcement officials joining U.S. Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Gainesville) on a trip to the U.S./Mexican border this week to learn more about the border crisis.
Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken is also going on the journey, he said on Tuesday.
Adeline Sandridge, communications director for Cammack s office, confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Woods and Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood were two of the four people making the flight to Texas. Sandridge said she s waiting on word from some others. No one from Alachua County is scheduled to make the trip.
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