Anderson Commission unable to resolve salary dispute between sheriff, mayor

Note: This story was updated at 1:45 a.m. July 16.

CLINTON—The Anderson County Commission on Monday was unable to resolve a dispute between the county mayor and the sheriff over an annual salary agreement, meaning a judge could be asked to intervene.

Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank has refused to sign the proposed salary agreement for the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. She said it includes about $7.66 million for salaries, which is roughly $1 million more than the $6.63 million approved by commission in June as part of this year’s budget.

“I cannot do anything more than what was passed,” Frank told commissioners Monday morning. “The only way I can sign that is if you go ahead and approve that new $1 million.”

If she did sign the agreement, Frank said, the county commission would be committed to the new salary level under state maintenance-of-effort requirements. She said the additional appropriation would require an eight-cent property tax rate increase in 2014.

“This is not a one-time set-aside,” Frank said. “It’s going to have to be committed in perpetuity.”

In a 6-8-1 vote, the County Commission rejected a motion from Commissioner Robert McKamey to commit up to $1 million from the unassigned fund balance to be appropriated in the 2014-2015 budget, which starts July 1 next year. The motion would have covered the cost of a full year’s worth of salaries and benefits for 36 employees hired to staff the jail, but the money would only have been appropriated if revenues weren’t sufficient to cover expenses.

The commitment would have been included in this year’s salary agreement for the Sheriff’s Department.

Anderson County Sheriff Paul White has repeatedly said he can not open a new jail pod, which could open later this year or early next, without 36 new employees.

On Monday, Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said the department is not likely to be fully staffed and new employees for the new jail pod will only be needed for about six months, starting Jan. 1, but statutes require the letter of agreement to show all 219 employees at full salaries for a full year.

“We will never get to that,” Lucas said of the $7 million salary level.

Lucas said the Sheriff’s Department’s budget is okay in the current fiscal year, which started July 1. He said the letters of agreement have been the same for years.

White said he would have to file a petition—some officials referred to it as a salary lawsuit—in Anderson County Chancery Court if the mayor hasn’t signed the salary agreement by Tuesday afternoon.

Voting in favor of McKamey’s motion were McKamey, Anderson County Commission Chair Chuck Fritts, and commissioners Jerry Creasey, Steve Emert, Whitey Hitchcock, and Tracy Wandell.

Voting against it were Anderson County Commission Vice Chair Robin Biloski, and commissioners Mark Alderson, Zach Bates, Dusty Irwin, Tim Isbel, Steve Mead, Rick Meredith, and Jerry White.

Commissioner John Shuey abstained, and Commissioner Myron Iwanski was absent.