Cindy DiFazio - Staff Writer

The Ripley County Council reconvened at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 18 after recessing last Tuesday, December 12. The recess was a result of the need to negotiate a compensation package for incoming sheriff, Tom Grills.

Members of the council, President Donald Dunbar, Vice-President Dephane Smith and Edward Armbrecht along with Ripley County Commissioners President Robert Reiners and Attorney Neil Comer met with Grills on Friday, December 15 in an attempt to negotiate a salary acceptable to all parties. The session started at 10:00 a.m. By 3:00 in the afternoon it was clear that no common ground had been found.

At the reconvened council meeting, all members of the council were present except William Dramann. Attorney Neil Comer was absent with John Ertel substituting. Also present were all three members of the Ripley County Commissioners and Auditor, Mary Ann McCoy.

The Monday night meeting began with Council President Donald Dunbar making a few opening statements. Dunbar said that in the past few years county council and commissioners have worked together to put the county on a sound fiscal footing. Budgets were cut drastically, and county employees received no pay increases.

Dunbar went on to say that although this council and these commissioners have not always agreed, they have always managed to reach a decision. The salary offer to Grills would be $56,160, a 4% increase over the current sheriff’s salary, plus new negotiations in July for the 2008 budget year. At this point, Grills jumped to his feet to protest and council members assured him that he would get a chance to talk. “I’m unsure how the process works,” Grills apologized retaking his seat. Dephane Smith made the motion to accept the proposed salary with Edward Armbrecht’s second. The vote was five yeas with Mark Busching abstaining due to his absence from previous meetings due to health issues.
Immediately following the vote Grills announced, “I’m ready to take the floor if you’re ready.” Dunbar said, “I’m ready.”

Grills took the podium. He stated that he had researched facts and figures relating to the old way of paying the sheriff which included making a commission from inmate meals and collecting tax warrants. “There is a potential for making a lot of money,” Grills told the council. Grills went on say that the current sheriff has not kept the jail particularly full and that he plans to change that. Grills stressed that he really does not want to have to take on the extra bookkeeping that reverting to the old system would require saying that it turns being the sheriff into a business.

However, Grills believes that he should be compensated at a rate equal to 60% of the county prosecutor’s salary or $69,300. That amount is what was appropriated by council in the 2007 budget. “I thought this office was finally being respected and honored,” Grills stated. “With 100 inmates and 30 personnel the sheriff deserves the right compensation, more than the state minimum.” He also pointed out that if the sheriff’s compensation reverts back to the old law, the county would lose the revenue it now receives from tax warrants and inmate meals. “I want to work with council, but I want what’s rightfully owed to this position.”

Grills questioned why the dollar figure of $69,300 was put in place if the council did not intend to spend that much. Councilman Armbrecht explained, “If we hadn’t appropriated the money we couldn’t have negotiated this ($56,160) figure.” Councilman Benjamin Peetz added that the appropriation was based on the council not being sure whether or not it would be required to pay the sheriff’s position 60% of the prosecutor’s salary. Grills suggested that if he took a salary of $1 and added a conservative number of $49,000 for inmate meals plus tax warrants he’d be making more than the council was offering. “I’m willing to work with the council and keep the money rolling in,” Grills promised. “I’ll make you very happy.” Armbrecht retorted, “You don’t have to make us happy. You have to make the people of the county happy.”

Armbrecht also raised the point that if the county treasurer or auditor was working in the private sector, those positions would garner six figures. Yet as county workers their compensation was already $22,000 less than the current sheriff makes. Mark Busching took exception to the comparison saying that those positions do not require wearing a firearm and putting their lives on the line. Armbrecht reminded Busching, that a sheriff takes on those responsibilities and risks knowingly.

Commissioners’ president Robert Reiners stated that while he does not doubt that the sheriff’s position deserves more money, so does everyone else. He proposed that it would be a good idea to increase wages in a balanced manner. Reiners noted, “We’ve worked very hard the past two-and-a-half years. The sheriff already makes $22,000 more than other county officials. This puts us in a bind.” He went on to say, “By population (around 26,000) our people are grossly underpaid. We’d like to right that, but for everyone, not just for one person.” He explained, “In 2006 nobody got a raise. In 2005 their raises went to pay insurance costs. Because of huge budget cuts, everyone’s sacrificed quite a bit.”

Grills repeated several times that it wasn’t the money he was upset about, it was the principal and said, “I thought when the salary was set at $69,300, that was that.” Councilwoman Dephane Smith responded, “This is about the sheriff’s salary, not Tom Grills’ salary.” Reiners warned of setting a precedent, “This will affect everything that happens down the road.”

Deputy David Pippin who was also present had approached Grills at the podium several times, appearing to offer counsel and support. Pippin told the meeting, “I want you to see the ideas Tom has. We are like a team, like two heads are better than one. We are trying to move the department into the next century.”

Grills had stated earlier in the session that while the current sheriff gives inmates two hot meals daily, “I can go to one hot meal a day.” He intimated, “The prisoners eat better than I do at home. Cut out the BBQ ribs, the meatloaf and the homemade peach cobbler.” Grills then began speaking about proposed college classes in the jail that he feels are a misuse of government money, but joked, “That’s a conversation for another day.”

It appeared that this council meeting was going to get no further than previous negotiations had. Finally, Reiners spoke up again regarding the options of salary, meal commissions and tax warrants saying, “I’d like to see you go with a salary only.” Addressing the council and Grills he pled, “People, try to go somewhere in between.” Dephane Smith suggested a figure around 55% of the prosecutor’s salary, or $64,000. Reiners said that was the figure he had written down. Grills asked if he could have five minutes to speak with his wife and deputy Pippin. After consulting with them, Grills re-entered the meeting and said, “My primary goal is to be sheriff. $63,405.10 is 55% of the prosecutor’s salary, so I will accept $64,000.”

Dephane Smith made the motion to recommend the sheriff’s salary be $64,000 for the year 2007. Mark Busching seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Councilman Armbrecht was heard to remark, “This is an example of government gone crazy.”