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Newton County commissioners decline immediate funding request for sheriff’s summer leadership academy
Summary
Sheriff Sherry Brown asked the board to fund a six-week Law and Leadership Academy for middle- and high-school students this summer; commissioners voted 3-2 not to move the item from discussion to consideration and asked staff to review budget options and return with a recommendation.
Sheriff Sherry Brown asked the Newton County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday to provide one-time funding for a six-week Law and Leadership Academy for sixth- through 12th-graders, saying the program had begun and already enrolled about 80 students.
Brown told the board the curriculum includes 911 center orientation, crime investigation, K-9 demonstrations, juvenile court tours, emergency preparedness, life-skills workshops and career-enrichment activities. She said the sheriff’s office had partnered with the school district to use Indian Creek Middle School classrooms and with community volunteers to staff sessions.
The sheriff asked the board for what he described in the meeting as roughly $53,116 to cover costs including instructor stipends and program supplies. Commissioners requested clarification on the requested amount and source of funds; County finance staff said the sheriff’s office budget was under review and that staff would follow up. The board did not take an immediate funding vote.
Commissioner Cooper and Commissioner Edwards pressed for a clear budget path before committing county funds, noting the county’s responsibility to stay within adopted budgets. Commissioner Henderson argued in favor of funding the program, saying the county could use fund balance and urging the board to support a program aimed at keeping children productively occupied during the summer.
Commissioner Henderson moved to amend the agenda to put the sheriff’s request up for immediate consideration; that motion failed on a 3-2 vote. After the vote, the board directed county staff to meet with the sheriff and the finance director to review budget options and to return to the board with a proposal if one is available.
Sheriff Brown said the program had already started and asked commissioners to visit the classrooms so students could see county leaders in person. Public commenters urged the board to approve funding, saying many county-run or school programs end early in the day and leave working parents with unmet childcare needs.
The board did not approve any expenditure at the meeting; any future appropriation would require a formal agenda item and a vote.
Ending: County staff said they would meet with the sheriff to examine the sheriff’s budget and potential one-time funding options and return to the commission with recommended next steps; no date for that return was set at the meeting, and the sheriff said the program would continue in the meantime.
