Sheriff's contract approved

The Jay County Council signed a contract with Sheriff Ray Newton Wednesday night agreeing to pay higher salary in exchange for the sheriff surrendering any surplus in the jail’s meals fund.
The contract is essentially a renewal of the contract Newton agreed to in his first term as sheriff with updates to the salary figures.
State regulations allow for a county sheriff to keep any unspent meals money on top of the regular salary. Before Newton took office in 2007, county officials estimated than the sheriff was making more than $100,000 from salary and meals money.
Newton’s campaign for sheriff in 2006 included a promise that he would enter into a contract to surrender excess budgeted meal money back to the county general fund. When elected, Newton made good on that promise and entered into that agreement.
After being re-elected in November, Newton approached the council to renew that agreement with updated salary figures.
Netwon presented the council with figures for 2011, showing that the state’s recognized cost to feed an inmate is $1.83 per meal. At a maximum capacity of 142 for the jail when the expansion project is completed, the maximum Newton could request for meals is $284,546.70.
The sheriff, however, has only requested a food budget of $70,000 for 2011. Newton said the average per meal cost over the last year has been around 79 cents per meal per person.
State regulations would cap the sheriff’s total earnings at about $130,000 if he did not work under a contract and elected to keep some of the leftover meal money.
Newton’s new contract, however, sets a 2011 salary of $97,600 with a 2 percent increase each year, meaning $99,552 in 2012, $101,543.04 in 2013 and $103,573.90 in 2014 for an annual savings of about $30,000 to the county. The contract also states that the county agrees to pay $6,000 annually toward health insurance for the sheriff — the normal compensation paid for county employees.
“We’ll probably get a years salary for nothing,” said commissioner Milo Miller Jr. of the about $30,000 per year savings.
Newton also noted that he has increased revenue in the jail by making inmates pay for items through the commissary as well as making money for the county by housing Department of Corrections inmates. Newton said he has brought in about $400,000 in revenue for the county in the past four years through those methods.
“I think it’s fair,” Newton said of his proposed salary. “I think it’s more than fair.”
“The three commissioners agree with this (contract),” Miller said.
Council president Gerald Kirby, a former sheriff who noted that in his time in office he “made more off the meals than I did from the salary,” supported the contract as a good financial move.
“It’s a generous salary but it’s paying well for the county,” Kirby said. “I think it’s a good deal for county.”
Councilman Dan Orr made a motion that the contract be approved and that the 2011 salary ordinance be amended to reflect the change in sheriff’s salary, citing that it was in the best interest financially for the county.
The council adopted the amendment to the salary ordinance since changes to public officials pay cannot be made in the same year they are being paid out. Kirby then signed the sheriff’s contract.
In other business Wednesday night, the council:
•Approved an appropriation of $1,285 to the Jay Circuit Court to pay for new law books.
•Approved an appropriation of $799.68 to the public defender’s budget to cover unpaid bills.
•Approved appropriations of $2,987.43 and $2,000 in the sheriff’s budget to pay for inmate medical expenses. Newton said medical expenses for inmates was down significantly compared to 2009.
•Approved an appropriation of $8,614 in substance abuse fees to the Jay Superior Court budget.
•Approved an appropriation of $4,375 in deferral funds which will be used to purchase a new in-car camera for the Portland Police Department.
•Approved transfers of $46.50 and $675.42 in the sheriff’s budget to pay for compensation time.
•Approved a transfer of $17.68 in the Veteran Affairs budget to cover office supply purchases.
•Approved transfers of $602.43 and $46.39 in the Jay County Cemetery Association budget for cemetery maintenance.
•Gave consent to make the Jay County prosecutor a full-time position. The position is currently full-time under prosecutor Bob Clamme but prosecutor-elect Wes Schemenaur said the approval must be renewed. The prosecutor position is paid by the state and the move will not cost the county additional funds.
•Was informed that council attorney George Lopez will be taking a position as chief deputy prosecutor and will no longer be able to represent the council. Council members will make a hiring decision in January.
•Was asked by Kirby to reappoint him to the Jay County Regional Sewer District board. Kirby’s term on the board expires at the end of the year, but he said he would like to continue on that board until its three current projects are completed.
•Recognized outgoing council members Kirby, George Meehan and Fred Bailey for their service on the council.[[In-content Ad]]