Greene County Commission Chair Nick Underwood

Sheriff Joe Benison

After rumors flew around the county concerning the financial condition  of the Sheriff’s Department, Greene County Commission Chair Nick Underwood made an adament statement that “Greene County is not contemplating nor is there any possibility of Greene County filing for bankruptcy.”

This statement was in response to   a 33/40 news broadcast of September 14 wherein Sheriff Jonathan Benison and deputies of Greene County gave the media the perception that the county was on the verge of bankruptcy and could not pay its employees.

Underwood made it plain that the county  like many other counties and municipalities across the state and the nation is feeling the financial pinch and having to make difficult decisions in bringing expenditures in line with budgets “especially in light of the loss of bingo revenues and a declining population

“Early in the year all departments were advised to reduce expenditures and furlough employees to achieve  a balanced budget by September 30,” said Underwood

Apparently all department heads complied with the exception of   Sheriff Benison who added additional deputies and clerical employees, thereby increasing and practically doubling expenditures.

Benison said his department was within budget, but when paychecks were isssued on September 15, many employees of the Sheriff’s Department and Jail received large cuts in their checks.

“The deputies that raised the issues of reduced pay and cuts in expenditures should look to the Sheriff for answers rather than criticizing the Commission  or its staff for doing its job. The Sheriff was responsible for relaying the information to his staff but apparently failed to do so. It is simply a matter of speaking the truth with employees. The impact to the Sheriff’s department and jail as a result of reduced spending is minimum and will expire on September 30,” said Underwood.

Benison denied much of what Underwood had said and insisted he had been told his jail budget was fine.

Underwood’s reply was that Benison had been advised that he was more than $200,000 over budget despite months of warning so the commission cut off further overruns to his department.

According to Underwood, Benison had hired eight additional workers in March, shortly after he took office but he refused to let other workers go. “Over a period of time, his budget ran short.

“Earlier in the week, the county financial officer sent Benison a letter reminding him to cut his jail staff to seven employees.”

However, Underwood says the Sheriff and all other departments were told  in April that reductions would be necessary so the county would have a balanced budget by October as was required by law. Underwood said the Sheriff’s was the only department that would not comply.

In a Wednesday interview on ABC33/40 Benison talked openly but declined to comment on Thursday. Instead he had another employee to refer media personnel to his attorney in Birmingham, who did not return any phone calls