CHATHAM COUNTY voters know what to expect with Sheriff Al St. Lawrence, who has served in this office 20 years. He has compiled a largely solid record during those two decades, with a steady hand and no surprises.
We encourage voters to support him in the Nov. 6 election for what should be his sixth and final term.
In Chatham County, like many urban counties in Georgia, the duties of the elected sheriff are largely administrative. That includes running the jail, serving court papers and securing the courthouse. This department, however, is the county’s largest. Thus the sheriff functions more like a CEO and less like a law enforcement official.
The sheriff, who’s 78, has kept this office for so long because he knows the key to political longevity — surrounding yourself with good people and getting them the tools they need to do their jobs. He’s a professional. He has worked well with the Chatham County Commission — past and present — on his department’s annual budget.
That’s a critical part of this job. Unlike some sheriffs elsewhere, the Republican incumbent has avoided financial conflicts and understands that local taxpayers don’t have deep pockets.
Legally, Georgia sheriffs have the upper hand in forcing commissioners to give them the revenue they think they need to run their departments. But here, the incumbent hasn’t pushed commissioners to loosen the purse strings for him. He typically finds a way to operate with existing resources. That has earned him the respect and trust of most county commissioners during the past 20 years.
Such a healthy working relationship will be essential next year. The single biggest fiscal issue facing county government is the cost increase associated with operating the new, larger jail. The county will gain some efficiencies. But they won’t offset higher personnel expenses — expected to be an additional $1-2 million next year — as more deputies must be hired to oversee a bigger population.
The sheriff and McArthur Holmes, the Democratic challenger, have plans to deal with these extra expenses. But the incumbent has something that’s more important — experience and a proven ability to work with county commissioners.
If this was a wide-open race, Mr. Holmes would be an attractive candidate. He has served with the Sheriff’s Department for 33 years. He worked his way up to colonel, serving as jail administrator for the St. Lawrence administration. He clearly knows how to run a jail. His former boss would not have kept him if he wasn’t doing the job.
Mr. Holmes believes there are some things the department can improve upon, such as serving warrants. He may have a point. But he has failed to make the larger case — that it’s time to fire the incumbent.
Both candidates have tried to keep this race from getting too personal. Interestingly, Mr. Holmes told a reporter for this newspaper four years ago that Al St. Lawrence was “one of the fairest persons I’ve ever known. He doesn’t make rash decisions,” adding that “he makes sure everyone gets a fair shake. That’s the type of person he is. He’s extraordinary.”
Four years ago, the incumbent almost lost to challenger Mike Jones, a weak candidate who benefitted from Mr. Obama’s long coattails. This year’s race may be closer, as Mr. Holmes is a far better candidate than Mr. Jones.
But this is one of those races when 20 years of experience as sheriff means something. In the face of higher jail costs and the need to keep property taxes in line, we recommend that voters stick with a known candidate who has gotten the job done with commissioners. We endorse Al St. Lawrence.