The Henry County Board of Supervisors allocated approximately $121,000 to its Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday to provide additional salary raises for deputies.
Each deputy with at least three years of continuous service will receive an increase of $100 per year of service, up to a maximum of $3,000. The raises are intended to alleviate salary compression caused by increases to the minimum pay for deputies.
Brandon Martin, the county’s public information officer, said the raises are intended to reward deputies with experience and tenure. He explained that currently, the starting salary for a deputy in Henry County is $43,160, which was similar to the salaries of those who have been with the office and/or are experienced.
While some of the funding for the salary increases will come from the Commonwealth’s Compensation Board, there are a number of positions at the Sheriff’s Office that are locally-funded. For those positions, the county contributed $50,044 to match the state portion.
An estimated 97 deputies will be eligible for the salary increases, with an average $1,000 pay increase per eligible deputy.
In May, Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry, officers, investigators and residents implored the board to raise pay and create a step program that would provide pay increases and in turn help with retention efforts.
Without a step system, a $2 pay increase approved in Oct. 2021 meant that an employee with the office for two years earned only about $250 more per year than the initial starting pay, the sheriff said at the time.
In other matters, the board:
*Approved an additional appropriation for the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $25,520 received from State Asset Forfeiture funds to purchase rifle optics on patrol rifles. The replacement optics will improve visibility due to newer technology and provide safer and more accurate equipment for the deputies. *Approved an additional appropriation for the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $10,743 received from the U.S. Department of Justice 2020 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. The funds will be used for deputy overtime to cover staff shortages, special operations, and off site security of inmates during medical procedures.
*Approved an additional appropriation for the Department of Public Safety in the amount of $56,352.56 received from the Virginia Department of Health’s Return to Locality Fund. The funds will be used for emergency medical services (EMS) training, supplies and equipment.
*Awarded a $276,056 contract to Vest’s Sales and Service, Inc., to buy a 2023 Dodge Ram 5500 4×4 Osage Ambulance for the Department of Public Safety.
*Awarded a $358,020.73 contract to Excel Truck Group for a 2024 Mack LR front loader garbage Truck for the Refuse Department.
*Awarded a $123,958 contract to Trane Technologies to purchase a control system for the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning system that will improve energy efficiency and add the ability to monitor and control the HVAC systems for the Administration Building, Sheriff’s Office, Courthouse, Social Services and the Adult Detention Center.
*Held a public hearing and approved a request by Mark and Deborah Minter to rezone about 13.48-acres in the Iriswood District from Rural Residential (R-R) to Agricultural (A-1). The applicant wishes to construct accessory buildings that exceed the square footage limitations.
