THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 24, 1997 TAG: 9701240548
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 42 lines
Fueled by campaign promises to try to boost deputies' pay, the Sheriff's Office is asking for a bigger share of the kitty in the 1997-98 Dare County budget.
The chairman of the county Board of Commissioners, Robert V. ``Bobby'' Owens Jr., has frequently said he believes the sheriff and his deputies deserve more money. But he said he stopped short of guaranteeing an increase.
``I did not promise them, but I assured them I would do everything I can to increase their salaries,'' Owens said recently. ``And I'm still working on it - these things work really slowly. Particularly salaries.''
Deputy Sheriff Rodney Midgett said that Sheriff Bert Austin submitted a request to the county for $300,000 for pay increases for the 104 staff members in the Sheriff's Office and the Dare County Detention Center.
The Sheriff's Office last received a raise when all county employees received a 3 percent cost-of-living increase last year, Midgett said.
Calling their current pay ``hideously low,'' Owens said he would like to increase the department's pay an additional 5 percent - which would bring deputies' pay up to par with other those of police departments on the Outer Banks. Owens said several municipal law enforcement departments earn more than sheriff's office employees, although he said the county provides better health insurance benefits.
The starting salary of an entry-level deputy is $21,636, and with some experience, $22,295. Sheriff Austin makes $46,329 annually.
By comparison, Nags Head Police Chief Charles Cameron is paid $43,980; Kill Devil Hills Police Chief Ray Davis makes $43,543; Kitty Hawk Police Chief Robert Morris is paid $43,232; and Southern Shores Police Chief Danny Beasley receives $52,000.
Owens said he would also like the county to provide funds to hire two additional investigators.
``We must have good law enforcement in order to maintain the quality of life in Dare County,'' Owens said. ``And I'm working on it all the time.''
Budget workshops on the county's spending plan will begin in March. The new budget is scheduled to be adopted on June 2.