Posted: 7/12/05
County considering request for NO new deputy
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Houston County commissioners received an unusual request from Sheriff Mike Lee at their July 5 meeting: he has asked them not to hire a new deputy.
Lee had requested a new deputy as a replacement for the second of two officers who resigned last year. Since then Lee announced that he is resigning effective October 31. He now feels that his replacement should hire the new deputy.
ìNot only would it not be right for the new Sheriff, but would not be fair to the person hired, as they would not know who they would be working for. My office is not occurring any more overtime at this time due to this vacancy as we are working around it, by not filling that time slot.î
Leeís letter seemed to puzzle two commissioners.
County commissioner Kevin Kelleher asked why the county needed a new deputy in the first place.
Larry Graf asked how the staffing was going and whether the county was adequately covered, considering that a new deputy is needed.
ìThose are questions I canít answer,î personnel director Tim Comstock replied.
The countyís law committee will meet with Lee and chief deputy Ken Frank on this subject at their regular monthly meeting on July 12 before the start of the regular county board meeting.
ìWe canít force him to hire one,î Kelleher said. Comstock replied that the county could proceed to hire a new deputy if it was in the best interest of the county.
ìWe know who theyíre working for, theyíre working for the county,î Kelleher added, referring to Leeís letter about a deputy working a new sheriff.
The county received about six qualified applicants before the June 17 deadline for the new deputy position, according to Comstock. Those applications are now on hold pending the boardís decision.
Leeís letter also prompted Comstock to talk about the position of chief deputy. He said that the new sheriff would be able to appoint a new chief deputy if he so chose. The former chief deputy would not return to the rank of deputy, but would have to go through the hiring process if he decided to do that.
Lee recommended at an earlier meeting that the board appoint Ken Frank to fill out his term, which expires on December 31, 2006. The board chose to advertise for a new sheriff. The deadline for applying is July 21.
Comstock said that commissioners should focus on filling the county engineer position first, since that position is now unfilled, whereas Lee will be working until October. County engineer Allen Henke resigned on July 1.
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