The Nelson County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting on Monday, December 4 to adopt a resolution to allow the Nelson Heritage Center to proceed with refinancing related to the relocation of the county’s Health Department.
The five-member body also dealt with staffing issues related to an interregnum of sorts in the Sheriff’s Department, an office run by a leader elected by the people of Nelson County.
Outgoing Sheriff David Hill submitted a letter requesting the ability to allow up to 20 of his full-time deputies to cash out their unpaid leave time in order to keep them on the job through December 31.
“This would be for these employees that continue to provide service without taking their leave before January 1, 2024 so that the department may maintain a professional service for the remainder of calendar year 2023,” said County Administrator Candy McGarry.
McGarry said there is funding available due to vacant positions. She said Virginia State Police might be able to help cover the county in the short-term. McGarry recommended that if Supervisors agreed to proceed with Hill’s request, they should authorize that payments be made in January and verify the deputies continued to serve.
Sheriff Hill said it’s a matter of public safety.
“In order for us to maintain professional law enforcement services through the remainder of December, a lot of these individual, over 50 percent of our staff, have jobs lined up and have turned in their letters or resignation since November 7,” Hill said.
November 7 is when Hill was defeated by incoming Sheriff Mark Embry. Embrey received 3,387 votes to Hill’s 2,997 votes.
Outgoing Supervisor Robert Barton wanted Hill to explain more about what he said was a conflict between the Sheriff’s office and the Commonwealth’s Attorney.
“Over the years there have been things that have been difficult,” Hill said. “I will state this: Sadly in this world we fight among our own too damned much. And normally it comes down to a few things. What I’ve learned from my experience is that it’s power.”
Barton wanted to press more, but other Supervisors told him that that wasn’t germane to this meeting. Barton disagreed.
“These officers who are here maybe chose to leave the employ of Nelson County and they are requesting a certain amount of money and that money comes from the people of Nelson County,” Barton said. “I would like to know why, before I vote on whether I’m going to extend them that money, why they left. I think that is totally relevant.”
Supervisor Chair Jesse Rutherford said Barton could feel free to talk to any deputies that left to ask them.
Barton called for cooperation between the outgoing and incoming Sheriffs.
“To be perfectly honest I don’t give a damn which one of you is Sheriff as long as you serve the people of Nelson County but I am concerned that people who work here feel upset about something and because of that they’re leaving,” Barton said.
Hill said deputies depart after every election cycle for a variety of reasons including higher salaries elsewhere. He said his request would help keep enough people on the job through December 31.
“These individuals have jobs where they could go today,” Hill said. “They can just walk out, turn their stuff in, and go work somewhere else. They have that lined up.”
West District Supervisor J. David Parr said he’s generally very supportive of law enforcement.
“But I’m going to say right now I don’t appreciate this situation and this board being put in this position of a Monday morning quarterback in this situation,” Parr said.
Parr said he did not support Hill’s full request but did want staff to find a way to be fair. He noted not all deputies are leaving.
“I think it sets a bad precedent if we start paying out leave for people who aren’t leaving,” Parr said.
Central District Supervisor Ernie Reid supported Hill’s request provided the calculations are capped to provide no more than two years’ worth of paid leave.
Supervisors agreed unanimously to grant a modified version of the request with some modifications.
After a brief recess, incoming Sheriff Mark Embry’s asked for authorization to use existing funding.
“Sheriff-elect Embry submitted a letter requesting authorization to use existing local salary supplements within the current Sheriff’s Department budget as of January 1, 2024,” McGarry said. “This would be in order to reallocate those funds to secure staffing for existing positions.”
Embry said his request was to ensure funding is in place for the new deputies he has lined up to begin service soon after he is sworn in.
“And I do want to wish all of the outgoing deputies the best luck in their endeavors,” Embry said.
Embry said he is introducing a rank structure to the department but is not asking for more than the 27 positions currently authorized.
Supervisors granted Embry’s request.
“I don’t want us to micromanage you,” Barton said. “You won this job and we need to support you in that.”
The Nelson Board of Supervisor next meets on December 12.
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