PUBLIC RECORD AUDIT: What is Happening to Our County Workforce?

We are looking closely at the systemic changes impacting Lawrence County employees—decisions being made quietly behind closed doors under the banner of "2026-2027 budget issues."

While the commissioners recently adopted the 26/27 county budget publicly, we are receiving concerning reports from inside the county workforce about severe internal cuts that are not being communicated to the taxpayers.

Here is what we are hearing is currently happening behind the scenes to the people who keep our county running, affecting vital personnel from the Sheriff's Department to the Highway Department:

• The Health Insurance Strip: We are receiving reports that county leadership plans to strip vital employee health insurance coverage, forcing county workers to navigate the open insurance marketplace on their own.
• Overtime Expected, But Not Paid: Employees are reportedly being told that the county will no longer pay for overtime, yet departments are still expected to maintain the exact same workload.
• Hiring Freezes and Position Cuts: We are hearing about continuous reductions in the number of employees allowed to be hired, alongside outright position eliminations.
• Eliminating Yearly Raises: By cutting standard yearly raises, leadership is effectively removing the incentive for long-term employees to stay with Lawrence County.

When local officials fail to communicate openly, the public misses the real story of how our tax dollars and our local workforce are being managed. When our roads are not properly maintained and our emergency services are understaffed and overworked, every single resident pays the price.

Lawrence County, we need your help to verify this. Are you or a family member a current or former county employee impacted by these insurance changes, position cuts, or overtime restrictions? Do you have internal memos or documents about the 2026-2027 budget decisions?

Send us a direct message. Your identity will remain completely confidential. It is time to bring these policies into the light.

Email - records@lawrencecountyrecords.com