[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6086584,"mediaKeyId","2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492","parentId",2894902,"title","Commission approves change to sheriff’s department PTO policy for birthdays","audioSeconds",208,"startMs",3159000,"endMs",3367000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492&start=3159&end=3367","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492/thumbnail_3159000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6086584/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Commission-approves-change-to-sheriffs-department-PTO-policy-for-birthdays","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086584-bf68f8217cb7e4ab7015529315af9805/orig.mp4?Expires=1770628417&Signature=ScEs0-aEPSKyjhSB6kjxAzTj5QdiVIGUXLJH4KCkqANuLIRTywrr~VgqVB-k1uvFUwMuE2CqnC89D6K3XlvOMP0RYfsN7q7~a7W6MJfWi6slam4X-XKkGSGtU7hi2yrYdIfR30gzjt7CI8u66e1ZNvUDondWU6FEKGV8hO7OYsC0EaSHVqGrFizsp5DESnRLMbc-~o3cv4opx9sxF7uoP3QiFJ7-zMGe~liB7lmEHsLC1OYS~hIyJL-LbmasaAxwrYyROYX9uBcq3sXqrCXIfiHjkJ1f6kvzstAF60XdPySC8LGf7ocI3VGsaevCkJK8H-WcoCaLs6vgq5YPcUDxhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Sumner County, TN","date","2025-04-08T12:41:14.15Z","article","The Sumner County Commission approved an update to the sheriff’s department paid‑time‑off policy that allows employees to bank birthday leave as personal time off rather than taking the day before or after the birthday.

Supporters said the change recognizes shift work and avoids forcing sworn school resource officers and other deputies to take time away from duties on a particular calendar day. “As a SRO myself, you hate to be away from our school,” a commissioner who identified as a school resource officer said during debate. County staff explained the change clarifies longstanding irregularities in how birthday leave was recorded and removes the requirement that employees use a birthday on an adjacent workday.

During discussion the law director noted the policy is specific to the sheriff’s department and said elected constitutional officers may set policies for their offices. “This is a sheriff’s department policy only. This is an elected official, and he can do this,” the county law director said. All commissioners present voted in favor by voice vote.

The change does not automatically change PTO policies for other county departments; constitutional officers were noted as able to adopt similar changes for their own offices if they choose.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Health and Emergency Services (Table) 4/7/25","oneSentenceSummary","The commission approved an update to the sheriff’s department paid‑time‑off policy allowing birthday leave to be banked into PTO; the law director said the change is within the elected sheriff’s authority and applies to the sheriff’s department only.","taxTitle","Sumner County, Tennessee","taxId",19115,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086589,"Commission approves Homeland Security grant for generator and protective gear amid storm assessments",1343,47000,1390000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492&start=47&end=1390","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492/thumbnail_47000.jpg","/articles/6086589/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Commission-approves-Homeland-Security-grant-for-generator-and-protective-gear-amid-storm-assessments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086589-876b8e6b5ca02768812242657eeec5a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770628417&Signature=EuX7qaaZfjx7zZqEB8pi3glQaKnoK52-hesSCTQox4-mLbjYiDq0fRR8YsZ0xRjQYUKI7AT3UJ5qKk598ZeeVwPbdR1ltRt4pl-b82Ozh-hKRavv0Yezl3dxIN2Z3wMnKCwKxqVu34XRoCznRjWRK5uGZ~gicSZVDHuFVmScXm8eL7786xkgwwnqSnKvmTPCCHTmBAMsyUdckD49lPcp378INdurTbIl9Ih9CANNSkG4foxpfc1G6Da9zU-N-sC09Ii0xkVmNKAV9QhOpZ1gQznRxllXCioODsSGUYygP4qPl2UPQuYvBz05-TUe0LKB3u91v6tn2kncDELrkez88A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sumner County Commission approved acceptance of a Homeland Security grant to buy extrication personal protective equipment and a backup duty generator for county communications sites. County emergency-management staff also reported ongoing damage assessments after recent storms and said FEMA would be in town to review potential assistance.

The Homeland Security award was presented to the commission as part of the county’s annual grant process. The initial agenda addition listed the amount as $42,528.52; during the discussion the Emergency Management director referenced a figure of about $42,620 and noted the largest single item was a generator (about $33,000) with the remainder to buy protective gear. The presenter said the generator would allow tower‑site backup power to run approximately 60 hours on a tank of fuel and reduce reliance on propane trucks in extended outages.

Commissioners asked for clarity on totals and how equipment would be distributed. One commissioner asked where the protective gear would be distributed; the presenter said the gear will be used by EMS and related battalion personnel. There was some back‑and‑forth about the contract line items; the presenter and one commissioner noted the contract should control the final amount. A contract identifier cited in the discussion is 424252852.

The commission approved the grant by voice vote after a short discussion; the meeting record includes inconsistent printed totals, and commissioners amended a motion to approve “up to the contract amount” to account for that discrepancy.

Separately, the emergency-management report said the county experienced flooding and storm damage during recent severe weather. The office is conducting damage assessments for individual assistance and public assistance programs and said FEMA would be in the county to review assessments. The director said Sumner must meet a local damage threshold — roughly $927,000 — to qualify for certain county-level declarations and that the state will aggregate totals for larger requests.","The commission approved a Homeland Security grant to buy extrication personal protective equipment and a backup generator for communications sites, and the emergency management office reported ongoing storm damage assessments and potential FEMA assistance.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6086593,"Sumner County commissioners vote to keep animal control under sheriff’s office",3043,105000,3148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492&start=105&end=3148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2894902-746dda6de6cce0a98e71e734119da492/thumbnail_105000.jpg","/articles/6086593/Sumner-County/Tennessee/Sumner-County-commissioners-vote-to-keep-animal-control-under-sheriffs-office","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6086593-18af532aba62fd988eeb48f65c4edc1e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770628417&Signature=d7S1SjKW~cL64KPtcaeT6~dm6WO0PngTR--7zp-ptGevJhbweFoMPfU6dKuNVYdoYrpjr~4GcyGDxwNg831ar49n12n7eyxkMI98a4SHPTzFaX8pBrwYCGFQkQf2LfZtOlftYP3wqan1qqejFfvk3b~yltLfK~3ANu7gEIlma6syF3AEE8OX7VOJXiEHe7K1x9R3y38N28Pyu8RdvOr8CkDkcTkxmXOMpOhjFqcdHeGgvssFFefmvvho07IL1hwZWtSnGzcsckBRLmtsrPx91gPly5suo9c5XUlSm7n3ynFzehDCHqt3Se4~-ocfL~9vVg2ZwLYeqlPpSZb4qulL8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Sumner County Commission voted during its meeting to keep animal control operations under the sheriff’s office after a lengthy public-comment period, presentations and debate about costs, enforcement and organizational structure.

Supporters and volunteers urged the commission to continue studying alternatives and to form a new ad hoc committee to develop a plan. “What we want now is to move Sumner County into a place where for the next 5 to 10 years, we will be in a place where animals can get the care that they need,” said Kathy Arlen, a resident who spoke during public comment. Jennifer Howard, another resident and volunteer, told commissioners: “All I’m asking for is if we’re saying we’re gonna do 2, can we just please do it?” Donna DeSoto, who said she prepared an outcomes report, criticized the current model and the county’s past performance on animal welfare, saying, “We have 70 percent euthanization rate.” Gail Zara echoed earlier remarks and said she supported the same changes.

The discussion reviewed three broad options that have been presented to the commission: keep the service with the sheriff’s office, move animal control under the county mayor’s office, or contract with a nonprofit or third party to operate the service. Commissioners and presenters contrasted Sumner County’s current budget for animal control with the budget described by a visiting director from Rutherford County. The visiting director’s presentation included a cited Rutherford budget of roughly $3,200,000 and a staff of 37 full‑time employees; commission materials listed Sumner County’s current animal-control budget at about $800,000.

Commissioners expressed competing priorities. Some members said a formal ad hoc committee would be useful only after the commission decided whether to transition the service; others said an ad hoc should be formed now to examine options, costs, operations and timelines. One commissioner urged caution about tax impacts, saying residents on fixed incomes have left the county because of rising property taxes and that cost is an important consideration for any change.

Several commissioners defended the sheriff’s office model as providing law-enforcement authority on cruelty and dangerous‑dog calls. A commissioner noted that under some third‑party models enforcement of search warrants remains a law‑enforcement responsibility. Supporters of keeping the service under the sheriff’s office pointed to recent operational improvements the sheriff reported, including a recent stretch of adoptions that the sheriff’s department reported were 100 percent spayed/neutered and vaccinated.

After discussion, a motion to keep animal control under the sheriff’s office was made and seconded and passed by voice vote. The meeting record does not include a published roll‑call tally; some commissioners spoke on the record for and against keeping the sheriff’s office model during debate and several voiced “aye” or “no” during the voice vote.

The commission did not approve formation of a new ad hoc committee at this meeting. Commissioners and members of the public said they want continued reporting from the sheriff’s department on metrics such as spay/neuter, vaccinations and euthanasia rates.","After public testimony and a presentation from an out‑of‑county director, the Sumner County Commission voted to keep animal control within the sheriff’s office and not transfer it to a nonprofit or the mayor’s office. Commissioners debated costs, enforcement limits and next steps for oversight.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves change to sheriff’s department PTO policy for birthdays

Commission approves Homeland Security grant for generator and protective gear amid storm assessments

Sumner County commissioners vote to keep animal control under sheriff’s office