The impact of the down economy can be clearly seen in the January term 2010 Floyd County Grand Jury Presentments returned Friday.

The panel reported that the jail is seriously understaffed, the 911 call center needs additional staffing, and The Forum needs to fill a post that has been vacant for at least five years.

The Grand Jury reported that the Floyd County Jail is short 32 officers, with 10 additional positions frozen due to budget concerns. With only 12-14 officers on duty, and more than 800 inmates, there are increased supervision issues and safety risks to officers, the findings state.

“It’s true. You know it is,” said Sheriff Tim Burkhalter. “When I was hired in 1985, the Grand Jury said we were desperately short of people and I can’t think of any Grand Jury since then that hasn’t said the same thing.”

Burkhalter said the ongoing shortage at the jail exposes taxpayers to higher liability. “Sooner or later it’s going to be time to pay the fiddler,” Burkhalter said.

The Grand Jury reported that it was shocked to see 911 operators have to put emergency calls on hold to dispatch personnel in the field. The panel suggested that a minimum of three additional personnel be added to the call center.

The panel also reported that there needs to be a way to reduce or eliminate non-emergency calls to the 911 center.

Rome Floyd Emergency Management Director Scotty Hancock said the only way he could see to make that happen would be to develop a 311 call center. “But there’s a pretty expensive cost that goes along with that,” Hancock said.

A 311 center would essentially duplicate the 911 center, except that it would deal with things such as red lights that are out, utilities that are down and other non-life threatening situations.

Jurors also recommended that The Forum add an events coordinator position. Forum Manager Brent Poplin said that business has been up significantly at The Forum civic center.

“To maintain this level, I’m going to have to have a little bit of help. I can’t do it all,” said Poplin.

The Grand Jury also recommended that the Rome-Floyd Recycling Center be enlarged and upgraded. The jurors felt the recycling center offered great potential for revenue production.

Expansion of the main runway and completion of security fencing at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport were also among the Grand Jury’s recommendations.