Madison County commissioner Stanley Thomas and sheriff Kip Thomas — no relation — sparred June 2 over the sheriff’s 2013 budget, which was $209,000 in the red.
Commissioner Thomas noted that the sheriff’s office received raises in 2013 and that he was fine with the pay increases — so long as the sheriff stayed within his budget. He said he felt the sheriff should have notified the board last year that he was going to go over budget. Constitutional officers, such as the sheriff, have the authority to award raises as they see fit. The board of commissioners controls each department’s overall budget.
“You can give your people $20,000 raises as long as you are within your budget,” said the commissioner. “But I don’t remember you coming and saying you have a problem.”
Sheriff Thomas said his department has operated with a stable budget during his time in office. He said 2013 was an outlier, a year in which a number of uncontrollable circumstances, such as winter storms and higher water costs, hit at once. He also said his operating budget has been cut in recent years.
“When your operating budget is cut and cut and cut, it’s going to catch up with you,” said the sheriff. “It caught up with us last year.”
The sheriff said the BOC approved the raises last year.
“All that (the raises for the sheriff’s office) was approved by y’all (the BOC),” said the sheriff. “I don’t just hand out raises. I don’t just pull stuff out of the air.”
Commissioner, sheriff clash on budget overage
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#1
Anonymous
on
06/16/14 at 02:31 AM
[Reply]
Whoa, now. Kip Thomas is $209,000 OVER BUDGET?!? Is Kip a complete nincompoop? That is an insane amount of money to be short.
#1.1
Brenda
on
06/23/14 at 10:24 PM
[Reply]
No wonder crime in Madison County is rampant. If the sheriff is too dumb to balance his budget, then he has to be way too dumb to catch the criminals. At least now we know why the crime rate is through the roof.
#2
Becky
on
06/16/14 at 09:41 AM
[Reply]
Stanley Thomas why don't you explain why YOU go over your budget every year? The Sheriff's office protects the citizens of Madison County. What do you do except complain all the time?
#3
Linde
on
06/16/14 at 09:44 AM
[Reply]
Time to pull the reins in on Sheriff Thomas. 209,000 over budget is absurd!
#4
SardonicVeracity
on
06/16/14 at 12:58 PM
[Reply]
It would have been helpful to know how much the Sherrif's budget was. 209K is a lot of money, but how much is it compared to the department's total budget?
#5
Anonymous
on
06/16/14 at 04:04 PM
[Reply]
I'm interested to know what caused the Sheriffs Office to go overbudget. A breakdown would be nice. Some money has to be spent in the Sheriffs Office and the EMS, those things just cannot be avoided, however, I would like to know what the $ went to before I determine how I feel about the subject.
#6
Bobby Finkleton
on
06/18/14 at 02:51 PM
[Reply]
Stanley Thomas doesn't wanna talk about budgets. He is constantly over budget. He was over budget last year as well. As for Sheriff Thomas, give the man a break. You can only do more with less for so long before it catches up with u. Look at the services provided by the Sheriff and his staff, the BOC keeps cutting his budget but he is not and should not cut services. How bout Stanley Thomas get off his rear and walk a day in the boots of a Deputy in this County. Last time I checked there's not to many folks showing out in the BOC meetings, but our Deputy Sheriff's deal with the problems that everyone wants to pretend that we don't have here in M C. Everyone hates the police until something happens to them and then who's the first people they call, the police. My rant is complete, Sheriff Thomas, thank you for all that you and your staff do. Stanley, get off your highhorse and control your budget before mouthing off about aany on else's.
#6.1
Concerned Citizen
on
06/19/14 at 11:40 AM
[Reply]
Bobby, well said. You should consider running for a Commissioner post. Sounds like you have more common sense & intelligence than some on the Board. Yes, they cut so much from the Sheriff's budget knowing that he would go over & then they could TRY to make him look as if he is wasteing our tax $$$. By law, the BOC must give the Sheriff, Clerk of Court & other constitutional officers enough funding to run their offices. No IFs, ANDs or BUTs. Educate yourself Stanley Thomas & stay within your budget!!!
#6.2
Anonymous
on
06/20/14 at 04:01 PM
[Reply]
I agree Bobby. $ has to be spent for sheriffs services and EMS, there is no avoiding it.
#7
Anonymous
on
06/19/14 at 12:17 PM
[Reply]
An audit should be done yearly for every department - have we not learned from previous thieves! Let's see - who got raises and what did they do to deserve it? Why are they giving raises when deputies can't get a new pair of pants or shoes? If the budget was cut,cut,cut as the sheriff says, why are you giving raises? Please, chief deputy burns - just be quiet - everyone knows your an idiot. Try calling the sheriff's office during business hours - ever wonder why you keep getting the 911 center? Why is that happening - what are the secretaries doing? Stop giving excuses - do your job - manage the budget and patrol the county.
