Fentress Commission Approves Pay Raise For Deputies, Correctional Officers

The Fentress County Commission approved a pay increase for sheriff’s department employees Monday night.

County Executive Jimmy Johnson said the increase is $2 per hour on starting pay. Johnson said the sheriff agreed that it will make a difference in retaining employees.

“Well it’s a start, so there you are and he thinks it will make a difference, so it’s a start,” Johnson said. “You can’t empty the whole bucket of water at one time.”

Johnson said the increase will benefit corrections officers and deputies higher up the chain of command. He said office staff were not included in the pay raise.

“We had a gentleman come in and do a survey of wages and the wage scale,” Johnson said. “In a month or so they’ll go back and when that scale is finished, it should be done in late September, early October and then they’ll go back and look at that scale for clerical workers.”

Johnson said this was an important time to act, with the sheriff’s department trying to compete with other governments and the private sector.