Council declines to kiss sheriff’s …

For Dubois County Sheriff Donny Lampert, the wound created by the county council’s decision to give the new community corrections director an unprecedented raise is still fresh.

At Monday’s council meeting, the wound reopened when the council declined to support Lampert’s request to pay a kitchen staffer at the jail an additional $181.75. Lampert asked for the line item move in his budget to compensate the staffer who stepped up as a temporary kitchen manager while the kitchen manager was out for two weeks for emergency surgery.

“There is a county ordinance that says you guys control the rate of pay for that position,” Lampert said in his request to the council. “There is plenty of money in there (his salary budget) to pay for it. The total amount would be a $181.75 difference. I came here to ask you to amend it to allow us to pay her for the two weeks she worked as kitchen manager.”

Council president Greg Kendall said he couldn’t support the request since many county employees are required to step up to cover positions in similar circumstances. “If someone is out sick, someone has to pick up those jobs,” Kendall said.

Sheriff Lampert interrupted Kendall and said that the situation with the kitchen manager was different. “We are not asking for more money than is already in our budget. It’s not like we have to come here and grab $181,” Lampert said. “$181 for someone to go the extra mile above and beyond what they are required to do. Because this was a really quick thing. ‘Hey we need you to do this. Hey we need you to learn this.’ If this isn’t worth $181, if your employees ain’t worth that, you can kiss my ass.”

Councilman Craig Greulich attempted to curtail Lampert’s tirade but he was unthwarted.

“There are extra responsibilities that go with that position. Liability. This lady was pushed up to a liability issue which includes making sure the inmates are fed properly,” Lampert said.

Lampert explained that the jail is under a lot of scrutiny by the inmates and has increased liability to ensure they are fed properly. With the inmates that have special dietary needs as well as the regulation of portion amounts, Lampert indicated the inmates are inclined to send out complaints and litigate over any potential mistake by the kitchen staff.

But then the crux of Lampert’s anger was revealed.

“You guys just sat in here not too long ago and gave a man how many thousand freaking dollars point blank,” Lampert said referring to the hiring of William Wells as the new community corrections director. “And you hadn’t even seen him do the first day’s work. Here is someone for a simple $181. It makes no sense to me.”

William Wells was offered the position as the new Dubois County Community Correction director in July. After learning the position required a drop in pay from the $54,680 he was earning as the program director for Dubois County Court Substance Abuse Services, Wells decided to stay in his current position.

An appeal by Superior Court Judge Mark McConnell swayed the council to increase the director’s pay by $5,000 so Wells would take the job.

There is a difference in the two situations, though. Community corrections is mainly funded, including salaries and benefits, through the grants the facility receives from the Indiana Department of Corrections; not from the county’s budget.

The kitchen staff at the jail is paid from the county’s budget and Lampert’s request comes to a council facing a $1.685 million deficit between the 2015 and 2016 budgets. It is such a concern that a special meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 7 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss potential actions by the council to curtail the expanding deficit.

Back to last night.

“I think it will set a precedence if we did this …” Councilwoman Martha Wehr attempted to say before being cut off by Lampert.

“Why do you always bring up precedence,” Lampert raised his voice. “Because you set a precedence over at community corrections.”

At this, Kendall smacked the striker with his gavel in an attempt to bring order to the discussion. “Donny, let the councilman speak,” he said.

Wehr said that across the county department employees are required to pick up extra responsibilities when other employees take vacation or sick days. “I don’t see why this is any different,” she said. “She got paid for her extra hours. She got paid overtime.”

At this, Lampert repeated that the county had set a precedence by giving Wells the raise for community corrections. “Now you come to me and preach about precedence,” he said. “The chief deputy of Dubois County, who is no different than any chief of police, is making how much money? Can’t work overtime. Can’t pay him overtime or nothing like that. You think you could give him a little extra.”

Kendall explained that he didn’t care about the amount of money Lampert was asking for the kitchen staffer. He said it was about setting a precedence of having to pay for every employee that steps up to cover for another employee when they are out for vacation or sick days.

Councilwoman Becky Beckman became frustrated at this point and said the community corrections decision keeps getting thrown in the council’s face. “We keep getting this over and over and over,” she said. “And we keep having the disrespect from this gentleman (Lampert) every time.”

Kendall agreed, saying that Lampert shouldn’t come into the council and tell them to kiss his ass when he doesn’t agree with their decision. “It is not appropriate in these chambers,” he said.

“I agree 100 percent, however, sometimes it seems like the only way to get your attention,” Lampert responded. “Don’t make the decision based on how I act.”

“Donny if we made our decisions based on how you act, you wouldn’t be sitting there right now,” Kendall responded. “We are making our decision base on what is fair and equitable for everybody in this county. We are going to try to start this and make it consistent. If you disagree with us, fine disagree but every time you disagree with us, you tell us to kiss your ass or use an F-word.”

Lampert said that after five years of trying to explain his point of view with little movement by the council, he was fed up.

“You would be doing the same thing,” he said.

Kendall told him that if he could, he would give him the $182 from his own pocket. “When it comes to this county, I can’t do that,” he said. “We have seven members and we will take a vote.”

At this, he asked the council to raise their hands if they agreed to move the $181.75 to pay the kitchen staffer. No one on the council raised their hand.

Lampert then thanked the council and said that he had new boilers installed in the jail. “We are saving the county a ton of money because of that, just for your information,” he said. “Have a lovely evening.”

And he left.