Burke County sheriff will run out of money, commissioners say
WAYNESBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Burke County commissioners say Sheriff Alfonzo Williams will run out of money for this fiscal year.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Williams, commissioners tell him there’s to be no hiring for the rest of this fiscal year – until Oct. 1.
Commissioners say the agency has enough money to pay employees for one more month.
They are continuing to monitor the budget weekly, but the spotlight is once again on the war of words between the Burke County Sheriff’s Office and the Burke County Commission.
Sometime in August, county leaders say the sheriff’s office will not be able to pay its 130 employees. It’s also potentially leaving taxpayers and business owners like Michelle Graham in the dark.
“It never should have gotten this far. I think it’s unacceptable. I shouldn’t have to be worried about this. It should be taken care of and it should be the norm that it runs smoothly,” said Graham.
Letters were first noted on April 14, 2023, when the Burke County Board of Commissioners sent a letter to Williams. In that letter, the commissioners write “We are concerned about the current trajectory of Sheriff Williams’ finances.”
They go on to say “Sheriff Williams’ budget is over $7 million and if spending continues at this rate he will be over nearly $1 million. The letter says the sheriff overspent his budget in 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Commissioners suggested a hiring freeze, purchasing fuel at county pumps, containing overtime salaries, and limiting purchases of supplies and equipment.
“If they’re out of money and people aren’t there to work, then what will happen?” asked Graham.
Two months later on June 14, an email was sent from the sheriff’s office to County Manager Merv Waldrop. The sheriff wrote “I have repeatedly warned you all that we did not get adequate funding to allow me to perform my constitutional duties. We sounded the alarm very early on.”
On July 19, a letter from the sheriff’s office states they promoted 20 employees within the agency on June 27. The sheriff says the reorganizational plan would save taxpayers $200,000 in 12 months.
According to the letter, those promotions were not processed by the county.
Five days later on July 24, the Burke County Board of Commissioners write another letter saying, “The sheriff’s office is funded better than any other county of their size and population.” It goes on to say, “The simple fact is that Sheriff Williams is set to run out of funds in August because of the choices he made.”
On July 25, county commissioners sent another letter. In it, commissioners say Burke County has an approximate $50 million operating budget for 2023, commissioners said Monday in a news release.
The sheriff’s budget is just one of over 20 departments that must be properly funded and overseen, and it’s “funded better than any county of our size and population,” the news release states.
“The simple fact of the matter is that Sheriff Williams is set to run completely out of budgeted funds sometime in August. Not because of the County Commissioners or the County Manager, but because of the choices that Sheriff Williams has made,” the news release states. “Williams chooses to have a staff of over 130 people. He complains that his starting salaries for deputies are too low, yet Williams has full control over how much to pay each deputy with no input from the Commissioners. These are Sheriff Williams’ decisions, not the Board of Commissioners.”
As far as the county manager is concerned, there is no Plan B to address the agency running out of money.
Commissioners say they have told Williams multiple times to cut back on spending, and they say he has not listened.
News 12 reached out to Williams about his department running out of money. He says he does not plan to respond at this time. If he does, it will be through a news release.
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