Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith speaks about license plate readers and facial recognition technology at a meeting of the Smith County Commissioners Court on Sept. 11, 2018, in Tyler, Texas. (Erin Mansfield/Tyler Morning Telegraph) 

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said the county jail has 19 job openings this week.

The number is down from two weeks ago, when there were 21 openings, Smith said.

Overtime spending during the two-week pay period was $22,530, a decrease from the $31,829 in each of the previous two pay periods.

Smith told the Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday that the jail hired two more people, and has another four scheduled to start soon.

Twenty-three more people have gotten to other points in the application process, such as getting background checks or submitting an initial application, he said.

Smith said the office has sped up the process in order to bring in new employees within 10 days. 

Smith and his deputies will be reporting on overtime and staffing issues to the Commissioners Court every two weeks going forward, corresponding with pay periods.

So far this fiscal year, the Smith County Jail has spent $86,168 on overtime pay, more than half of its budgeted $165,000 for the fiscal year. That leaves the jail with $78,832 left to spend on overtime through Sept. 30, 2019.

“I love the communication between the sheriff’s office and the Commissioners Court; jointly together, that’s the only way to really get this issue solved, and I appreciate the attention that they’re giving it,” County Judge Nathaniel Moran said.

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