County supervisors add 106 JWA security jobs

Paul Clinton

The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Wednesday added 106 new

sheriff jobs to keep up increased levels of security at John Wayne

Airport.

The unanimous move will cut the amount of overtime pay that has been

shelled out since Sept. 11. After the terrorist attacks, the county

stepped up the presence of deputies at the airport.

On Wednesday, the board approved an $8.73-million payment for the

period from Sept. 11 through June 30, the end of the county’s fiscal

year.

The board also approved a $7.7-million outlay for security costs for

the 2002-03 fiscal year, starting July 1.

The new jobs will allow the Sheriff’s Department to blanket the

airport with 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage.

Sept. 11 “really changed the way John Wayne operates,” Airport

spokeswoman Ann McCarley said. “We’re anticipating the security costs to

be like this for the long term.”