Columbus and Horry counties have a history of cooperation between their sheriff’s offices, so when the South Carolina law enforcement agency heard Columbus County needed assistance, they stepped up.
Horry County donated several thousand dollars worth of equipment to Columbus County recently for use by the sheriff’s office and detention center. Sheriff Jody Greene said that HCSO officials heard that Columbus County’s budget had been severely reduced from Greene’s requested amount.
Commission Chair Edwin Russ announced the donation during the department head reports at Monday’s county commissioners meeting.
Among the line items cut from Greene’s request by county commissioners were OSHA-mandated safety equipment for detention officers, Chief Deputy Aaron Herring said Monday night.
“They read where we were in need, and they were kind enough to step up and help,” Herring said.
During commissioners comments, several members of the board thanked Horry for the donation, but again defended the cuts made to the Columbus County Sheriff’s budget proposal. Greene has been an outspoken critic of much of the board, and after the budget vote June 30, he posted comments on his personal Facebook page encouraging citizens to vote against the board members on this fall’s ballot.
Commissioner James Prevatte defended the cuts, saying that “all department heads knew we were not going to be able to completely fund their requests.”
Commissioner Trent Burroughs said that funding every request presented to the county this year would add 31 cents to the property tax rate.
Commissioner Giles “Buddy” Byrd said he was glad HCSO had provided the equipment for Greene’s office, and added that there can be no comparison between the budgets for the two counties.
“They have all those beaches, I don’t know how man,” he said. “Brunswick does too — maybe they’ll feel sorry for us and give us something.”
