NEWTON COUNTY — Over 50 deputies confirmed as much as Thursday evening’s Newton County Board of Commissioners referred to as assembly on account of what Sheriff Ezell Brown has touted as “legit security issues.”
On early Thursday afternoon, Sheriff Ezell Brown issued an inside memo directing all out there personnel to be in attendance for the assembly. Whereas it was not clear on the time as to why this memo was issued, Brown clarified the reasoning in a press release after the assembly was adjourned.
“I referred to as deputies to attend the Newton County Board of Commissioners assembly tonight on account of legit security issues stemming from on-line posts encouraging giant numbers of residents to attend, in addition to a number of telephone calls I obtained from people reporting potential disruptions on the assembly,” Brown wrote, partly. “Based mostly on that data, I made the choice to be proactive to be able to keep peace and order in our group and make sure the security of everybody in attendance, together with the commissioners.”
Brown added that the sheriff’s workplace “didn’t create” the scenario and as an alternative alluded to the continued dispute that was the reported trigger for tonight’s assembly.
Vice-Chair LeAnne Lengthy stated on Fb that she requested an “emergency government session” to handle personnel issues. All board members besides District 4 Commissioner J.C. Henderson attended the assembly; District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason joined by way of Zoom.
A number of sources declare that the assembly was partly to debate the way forward for human assets director Amanda Shoemaker, who was reportedly positioned on paid go away in late April pending the end result of an inside investigation over issues of declining worker morale throughout the county.
Sources say that Interim Chair Linda Hays directed Shoemaker’s return to her workplace on Thursday, going towards the orders of performing County Supervisor James Brown. Per the county constitution, the director of human assets reviews to the county supervisor.
A deputy from the Newton County Sheriff’s Workplace was reportedly despatched to Shoemaker’s workplace to make sure Shoemaker was capable of stay at work all through the day.
Sources confirmed that Shoemaker is not going to be permitted to be at work tomorrow following tonight’s discussions.
Roughly 5 minutes after the board entered into an hour and an half government session, a senior deputy “dismissed” the deputies within the room, which was corroborated in Sheriff Brown’s assertion. Two deputies — one within the courtroom and one on the entrance of the courthouse — remained after the dismissal orders.
The quantity of additional time funds spent on off-duty deputies to satisfy Sheriff Brown’s calls for stays unclear.
“Any additional time related to this response was a minimal concern in comparison with the significance of guaranteeing public security and being correctly ready,” Sheriff Brown wrote. “I selected to be proactive quite than reactive. Had an incident occurred and we weren’t adequately staffed or ready, this group might have been confronted with one other severe scenario. The query I’ve to ask is easy: was I supposed to sit down again and take that likelihood? Completely not.
“When tensions are excessive and there may be potential for dysfunction, my workplace will reply, keep order and shield the folks, together with the elected officers, of this county.”
In a remark posted below the Newton County Sheriff’s Workplace’s assertion, Lengthy pushed again on the concept the deputies have been there for security causes.
“There was no menace to anyone; it was an act of intimidation,” Lengthy wrote. “When the Board of Commissioners got here out of government session, there have been two deputies left on the courthouse, so our security was by no means a priority.”
