Holding him to his word (11/09/06)

It looks like the salary ordinance for the Jay County Sheriff may be changing for the first time since officials can remember.

Members of the Jay County Council Wednesday night agreed to begin looking at entering into a salary contract with newly-elected sheriff, Larry "Ray" Newton.

Such a contract would have to be approved by the Jay County Commissioners as well as Newton and the council.

Under state law, the contract could not be less than $66,300, or 60 percent of the salary for a full-time prosecutor.

"We've got to get moving on this," council president Marilyn Coleman said. "We've only got a month until we have to present it."

Newton had said throughout the recent campaign that he would be receptive to such a change and Coleman told council members, "Ray has expressed a willingness to do this."

The sheriff's salary has been a topic of discussion for several years by county officials whenever a new sheriff was elected. But "it's always been done this way," several said simultaneously.

Currently the position is paid an annual salary by the county and the office holder is allowed to keep funds left over from unused prisoner meal money. Commissioners noted recently that with the meal money, Jay County Sheriff Todd Penrod makes more than $100,000 annually.

The sheriff's position has been budgeted to be paid $43,334.20 in salary in 2007.

According to Indiana Code 36-2-13-.28, a sheriff's salary contract must be 60 percent of a full-time prosecutor's salary, which is $110,500.

If the council and Newton agree to use that method, his pay could not be less than the state's law.

But pay levels of other sheriff's departments around the area will be looked at as well.

Additionally Wednesday night the council approved a request for an additional appropriation from sheriff Todd Penrod for $7,000 for jail other compensation.

Penrod told council members the money will be used to cover retirement expenses to long-time jail matron, Bea Adams.

He said she has 30 unused sick days and 230 hours of comp time.

A request for an additional appropriation of $2,061.74 from Max Ludy for public defender pauper counsel was also approved.

Transfers were also made from the surveyor's truck fund to surveyor's labor for $2,000 to cover the cost of digging for cornerstones, and $2,000 from the highway department's truck drivers fund to the heavy equipment overtime fund.[[In-content Ad]]