Some deputies left Bibb County because of budget uncertainty, sheriff says

The Macon-Bibb County budget process played out like a soap opera, leaving some county employees uncertain about their job security.

For some, unpaid holidays, higher property taxes and potential changes to pension contributions became a point of contention. The budget saga also raised questions about if it would become more difficult to retain and hire deputies and firefighters.

That uncertainty led to more deputies leaving the job than usual in recent months, Sheriff David Davis said Friday.

From June through late August there were 19 deputies who resigned. That number was nine during the same time period last year, Davis said.

“We had a couple that went to state patrol and others who went on to move up in their careers,” Davis said. “Some of the others moved to agencies right around here and said they really didn’t leave for more money, they left for their (job) stability.”

The County Commission eventually passed a $161 million budget that included enough money to fund recreation, libraries and the parks department and cover a full year of raises that were approved last year for firefighters and deputies.

But it also included not paying employees for three holidays.

Instead of removing the pay during the pay periods for those holidays, the plan is to reduce salaries this fiscal year by 1.15 percent — the equivalent of three unpaid days.

Davis was able to opt out of having sheriff’s employees take those unpaid days and find the budget savings elsewhere since he is a constitutional officer. Fire Chief Marvin Riggins, like the other appointed Macon-Bibb department heads, did not have the same option.

There has not been a significant turnover for the fire department over the last several months, but Riggins said he understands why there is some concern among firefighters about the holidays and uncertainty about how pensions could be impacted down the road.

A Macon-Bibb health and pension committee likely will make recommendations to the County Commission in the coming weeks.

Riggins said fire department officials from other cities may try to use some of those issues to persuade Macon’s firefighters to work for them.

“I’m very hopeful going forward that it doesn’t impact our future ability to recruit new firefighter as well as retain,” the current ones, Riggins said.

“I am concerned about some of our younger firefighters. ... It makes it a little bit easier to make a decision to leave when they’re up against certain situations like this,” he added.

Despite losing 19 deputies since June, there’s still money in the sheriff’s office budget to fill those recently vacated positions. The sheriff’s office also has funding to hire another 15 deputies this fiscal year, Davis said.

County Commissioner Scotty Shepherd, a retiree of the Bibb sheriff’s office, said the unpaid holidays are an unfortunate part of trying to find money under current budget constraints.

“I wasn’t really behind this three days off. That does take a lick,” Shepherd said. “It’s better than losing positions all together. We’re trying to keep people employed and service level at a point that people (expect).”