CUMBERLAND — If anyone thought Allegany County Sheriff David Goad’s request for additional manpower would go away as a byproduct of the commissioners’ takeover of road patrol duties, think again.

Goad said this week the law that authorizes him five deputies is outdated. The workload has increased so severely, Goad said, that it’s not possible to serve civil process papers and warrants, execute extraditions and provide courthouse security at current staffing levels.

“I cannot do all the work with (five) people,” Goad said, “with two in the courthouse, one in the annex and when another courtroom opens, that’s four. I’ll have one guy to do all the work.”

“I had four people (available) here yesterday,” Goad said. “It’s not a pretty sight. We’re reduced down to next to nothing.”

David Eberly, acting county administrator, said before Thursday’s county commissioners meeting at Allegany High School there had been “some informal discussion” regarding the possibility of adding to what Goad is constitutionally authorized.

“There have been no conclusions at this end,” Eberly said. “We would very much like to have the opportunity to sit down with Sheriff Goad and talk about this issue, and other issues.”

During the meeting, however, the issue was raised by Goad and a number of supporters. Commissioner Jim Stakem told Rhonda Twigg, one of two secretaries for the sheriff, that the commissioners and Goad would have to “sit down and work that out.”

Eberly said county staff understands the office’s need for administrative support. An evaluation of those needs has not been completed.

“At this time, nothing has been said about elimination” of any jobs, Eberly said.

That didn’t sit well with Twigg, a 26-year employee for the sheriff’s office.

“I don’t know if I have a job,” Twigg said.



Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.