Monday, July 14, 2003

 Sheriff Sues County Commission

The story goes like this. The Sheriff of Geauga County in NE Ohio did not like the amount of money budgeted for his department so he decided to file a motion in court against the county commissioners to get more money. The motion requested additional money and that each of the three commissioners be fined $500 and that imprisonment be considered if they fail to comply. In their defense, the commissioners state that the county does not have the money.

The conflict now stands as a battle between lawyers, tied up in court. And it's not necessarily amiable as demonstrated by these statements from Jeffrey Miller, a lawyer representing the sheriff:

"Something has to get through to commissioners(sic) . . . ."

"It's not as though we're gunning down the commissioners. We're just attempting to coerce them to follow the court's orders."


Two things need to be noted concerning this story. First, if the county commission determines the budget and the sheriff's department can sue them for more money, what prevents the roads department or the school system from doing the same. It seems the county commission has the responsibility but no authority. And I have no idea why a trial judge would get involved in a local political pissing contest.

Secondly, the Sheriff's Department and the County Commissioners lawyers have cost the county $947,000 thus far. So, with all this silliness, the lawyers have drained more than 5% of the $18.3 million available in the entire county budget. And, it's not over.

Inevitably, the conflict will be resolved, but there will not likely be any winners (except for the lawyers). If for no other reason, the whole episode will leave the local leaders angry. And again, the people that most suffer will be the taxpayers.

The News-Herald has the whole story.

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