Thirteen of the fourteen commissioners were present. Commissioner Frank Parker, the subject of a TBI investigation that is scheduled to be forwarded to the local grand jury in May, was absent.
Sheriff Esco Jarnagin addressed commissioners at the end of the meeting about employee turnover in his department and about the TBI investigation mentioned above.
During the regular meeting, there was actual discussion on one item before the vote was taken! The issue that prompted two commissioners to speak and four to vote "no" was whether to purchase some hand mowers and have a few low-risk inmates mow the courthouse lawn.
Commissioner Paul Lebel was first to speak. He was adamantly opposed to having inmates mow the courthouse lawn. Lebel said he was concerned that the inmates might meet their girlfriends or family members. Commissioner Joe Swann joined with Lebel and expressed concern over liability issues.
When the vote was taken, there were 9 in favor and 4 opposed to having inmates mow the courthouse lawn. Commissioners voting "yes" were Baker, Bruce, Collins, Ford, Harville, Phillips, Sexton, Spoone, and Wampler. Voting "no" were Fullington, Lebel, Massey, and Swann.
Currently, low-risk inmates are allowed out to work on the "can truck" picking up litter. Low-risk inmates are also allowed out to work for Central Services and other non-profit groups when requested and when proof of insurance is provided.
Commissioners apparently haven't raised liability issues over 4-5 low-risk inmates out in the community picking up litter. However, one or two low-risk inmates mowing the courthouse lawn causes concern.
During the discussion of this issue, Sheriff Jarnagin pointed out that while there are some violent criminals in the jail, the ones who would be allowed out to mow the courthouse lawn would not be rapists and murderers--instead, they would be the same low-risk inmates who work on the can truck or go to Central Services to help out occasionally. There is no guarantee that there will never be a problem, but do you treat the person who wrote a bad check like the rapist or murderer?
Sheriff Jarnagin spoke again at the end of the meeting on two other issues. He began his remarks by saying that at least one commissioner as well as some other people had been claiming that he had fired numerous employees (anywhere from 50-60) since taking office in September 2006.
Jarnagin acknowledged that there had been a large employment turnover, but he explained that some of the departures were the result of voluntary quits, one employee was arrested by the FBI, another was arrested by the TBI, there were discharges due to various types of misconduct, some employees would find that they could not handle the stress, and some employees were let go during the probationary period when the sheriff determined that the employee was not suited for employment in the jail or in other areas of the sheriff's office.
Jarnagin then said that he also wanted to answer a question that was raised but left unanswered at the last county commission meeting about a $750 charge to get a car out of the sheriff's impound lot. Jarnagin said he wanted to make it clear that the Sheriff's Office did not charge anyone $750 to get a car out of impound.
At the March meeting, Commission Chairman Stancil Ford had refused to discuss the $750 charge, saying that the matter of a $750 impound charge was under investigation. Later D.A. Berkeley Bell reported that the TBI had indeed investigated the matter and that the TBI would take the case--allegedly involving Commissioner Frank Parker and perhaps others-- to the grand jury next month.
Then--almost like clockwork--Commissioner Guy Collins moved to adjourn the meeting. OK?
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