Council Approves Attorney Funding to Assist Sheriff's Deputies

Starting Jan. 1, will have more help in the courtroom since Dorchester County Council approved $67,000 in funding for an attorney through June 30. 

However, funding for the public defender and solicitor for Summary Court caused tensions on council as four voted in favor, one abstained and one voted against the measure during Monday's regular meeting. 

Council members David Chinnis opposed the funding and Jay Byars abstained from the reading. Councilman George Bailey was absent for the meeting. 

"Sixty-seven thousand dollars, that's a deputy," Chinnis said. He argued that spending that amount of taxpayer dollars needed to have set results.

Sheriff L.C. Knight said the attorney should help in raising county revenue.

"It should improve or increase the volume of money the county gets on fines," Knight said. 

But Chinnis wanted "actual numbers." 

"We are starting out spending this money with no idea what we're going to get out of it," Chinnis said.