Sheriff Presents Budget Draft

TYLER — Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith unveiled the proposed new budget for the Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning. According to KETK, Sheriff Smith says he pushed the Commissioners Court to improve the budget. He says he’s understaffed, but that competitive salaries and benefits will help retain more employees. Since Smith took office in January of last year, out of the 365 employees at the department, Smith hired 120 of them. He says that retention rate is not sustainable. Sheriff Smith says the proposed budget will help better train his employees and operate the Sheriff’s office at a higher level of service throughout the county.