MEMPHIS, Tenn.– It’s budget season in Shelby County, and the Sheriff’s budget was given extra attention this year.
Sheriff Bill Oldham asked the commission for $2 million more, but the board had some serious questions about what he did with last year’s money, and why they need even more this year?
Terry Roland told WREG flat out, “I want him to justify why he did what he did.”
WREG learned the Sheriff eliminated three detective positions and hired former County Commissioner Sidney Chism and Bob Nations, the former Director of the County’s Office of Preparedness.
Oldham hired Nations just days after County Mayor Mark Luttrell let him go.
The Sheriff could appoint whoever he wanted to, but Roland questioned whether or not Nations was even legally qualified for the job.
“I want to see where he meets these qualifications because I don’t think he does,” he said.
There was nobody at the Sheriff’s Deputies Association when WREG tried asking about how they felt about their boss cutting three detective positions for cushy administrative jobs.
Roland said he has heard from them, and they weren’t happy.
“As long as we are giving favors and jobs away, that’s what’s breaking this county,” Roland explained.
The Sheriff wouldn’t talk before commissioners question him Wednesday, but said he needed $2 million to cover costs for taking over security at the juvenile court.
Commissioners called that into question because the Juvenile Court gave up $6 million of its budget to pay for security, and the Court Clerk offered an additional $1.3 million.
“That’s 7.3 million dollars! What’s he talking about needing 2 million more dollars? That doesn’t register,” Roland added.
The Sheriff was scheduled to defend his budget Wednesday morning at the County Commission Budget Committee meeting.