A report in the Daily Times today on last nights budget meeting states that the sheriff needs more money to replace the School Resource Officers he transferred to other positions over a year ago.

Link

Request for SRO funds

"As Blount County Budget Committee ponders the shape of the proposed 2008-2009 fiscal year budget, Sheriff James Berrong is asking for more than $2 million extra to make deputy and correction officer pay more competitive and fund 13 new school resource officer positions.

Berrong is asking for about $400,00 in additional funds to hire new SROs. In the 2006-2007 budget, the sheriff's office had 22 people assigned to the SRO program on the books, but the number of SROs declined as they were transferred to other duties. In August 2007, there were about 10 or 11 officers in the schools.

Berrong said he moved the SRO officers to the patrol division to keep up with the demand for services caused by a growing population.

"That was a very unpopular decision," Berrong said.

"If you get this money, will there be a least one SRO in each school?" Commission Vice Chairman Steve Samples asked.

"Yes," Berrong said.

The SRO positions were "transferred" to the Patrol Division in order to cover VACANT, EMPTY, NOT FILLED positions.

That then left VACANT, EMPTY, NOT FILLED positions in the SRO Division.

Now he wants to fund these again?

Where did the previous funding go? Those positions were transferred and funded with existing vacancies.

At least that is how it works in the accountable institutions I have been around.

The sheriffs department has maintained ~25 vacancies for the last 3 years. Positions never filled. That equals ~$1,000,000 in salary and benefits.

Why, if they are not filled, do we keep allocating funds for them over and over and over?

How much were we looking for to fund Highway improvements?

A Wheel Tax is needed?

David Ballard
Blount County Commissioner

An ongoing saga between Blount County Sheriff James Berrong and his former secretary came to a legal end on Thursday, with the U.S. Court of Appeals ruling in favor of an earlier district court decision.

Martin wrote that the U.S. District Court found that Nuchols had not stated a constitutional violation and that Berrong was therefore “entitled to qualified immunity.”

Berrong said on Saturday that the lawsuit, filed in May 2003, was “politically motivated.”

Ok someone with the power of sheriff threatens my family and if I sue I must be politically motivated?

Link...

It's time for Blount County Commission to ensure the safety of citizens who attend and wish to speak at commission meetings. As more is revealed about the threat by Sheriff Berrong against an elderly citizen at last week's commission meeting, ALL should be calling upon the Commission Chair to take action. See the entry at: Link... It appears the blogger interviewed the elderly man about the threats. Chairman Ramsey, and other commissioners should contact this man for a full accounting of what he was forced to endure.
Commission must go on the record, that citizens are welcome in the "publicly-funded" county courthouse for all public meetings without fear of being threatened, harassed, or followed home by marked, or unmarked sheriff's vehicles. Chairman Ramsey, with the backing of EVERY commissioner, needs to show leadership and put Berrong on notice that this WILL NOT be tolerated. Berrong does not run this county, NOR does he run the commission meetings.
Furthermore, citizens must remember THEY PAY BERRONG'S SALARY! If he, or his thugs threaten, follow, or in ANY WAY attempt to intimidate, or harass, REPORT THEM! Contact the Tennessee State Police AND the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and file an OFFICIAL report.
Perhaps it's also time for Ramsey to seek legal guidance on what needs to be done about this. It's gone on for too long. It's frightening to think Berrong has repeatedly pulled these tactics on people attending public meetings and to date, NOTHING has been done about it.
Heads up, Commission and Chairman Ramsey: Get control of the courthouse, and if the sheriff can't conduct himself professionally, kick his can out of there!