This morning in
http://www.knoxnewssentinal.com in the local section was a blurb about Mr. Hitchcock sending a memo to the County Commissioners to fund what the sheriff wants throught the rainy day fund. First of all, that fund is exactly what is says, a rainy day fund. Second, the sheriff has increased his budget leaps and bounds this year. Santa Claus has been real good to him, but like most children he did not get everything he wanted for Christmas. While the other employees sit there with their 3% raises and increases in health insurance, the deputies got a substantial raise plus the 3%. Mr. Hitchcock, you have become a one issue commissioner and have failed the other employees of the county. We have many issues facing this county right now and have to move on. Please focus on these issues and next year Santa might bring the rest of what you asked for. For now, let's move on and take care of business.
Looks like Hitchcock is on the move today. I just received a call telling me he has issued another memo requesting that the excess fees from the fee offices be turned over and used for the Sheriff. Now, lets get real here. This is not the only expense of the county. These fees are used to operate the county. Maybe if we shut the county down we can give the sheriff all he dreams of. Mr. Hitchcock get a clue.
After watching the meeting and reading the recap in knoxnews sentinal.com and oakridger.com the only conclusion I can come to is Mr. Hitchcock cares about only one thing, that is the sheriff. He was told over and over about the commission's committment to the employees through the salary survey commission will be receiving. It appeared to me, he wanted to get the money for the sheriff pushed through before the money had to be used for the other employees. He did not care what methods he used, whether right or wrong. He tried to manipulate the rules to suit his purpose. This man has become extemely passionate on the sheriff and does not realize he was elected to take care of the entire county. I surely would not want him running a family. He would favor one child over the other and not be able to be a voice of reason for the entire family. This man has no reason, he is one issue oriented.
My interputation was of a little boy asking his mother for candy before dinner, she says no. He says please over and over until he wears her down and she gives him the candy to shut him up. I hope commission has more sense than that. They made a decision to start funding the sheriff this year, and to continue it next year. We have to use some common sense here. Rome was not built in a day. In my own life, when buying a new car I buy what I can afford not what I want. That applies here too. This is what the county can afford right now. We cannot go into debt because this is what the sheriff wants. We need more voices of reason out there like Scott Gillenwater. We need to be fiscally responsible.