On Thursday evening, the Knox County Commission met to discuss for about an hour a recap of its retreat back a couple months ago. Then from 5 pm until about 7:30 pm,(with a brief break) they discussed the ordinance changes Commissioner Larsen Jay has proposed in conjunction with the Knox County Sheriff and the Knox County Law Director to reorganize the Merit System Council for Knox Sheriff Employees. Watch the meeting from the CTVKnox website, here.
Commissioners at the July 15, 2021 meeting
Again, this has been an ongoing conflict for more than a year. The Commission formed a special working committee that met four times, first meeting in October 2020, story with videos here. Second meeting in November 2020, story with videos, here. Third meeting in December 2020, story with videos, here. What these meetings revealed is that the current Knox Sheriff’s problem is the constant departures from the department, a commentary post from January 2021 with the declining numbers, here. In February 2021, Jay began his plan to restructure the Merit System/Council, here and here. AGAIN, a story here on the constant flow of officers/employees fleeing the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Then in April 2021, a couple Merit Council positions were up for reappointment/appointment, story is here. In April 2021, the Merit Council continued its work, read the story here. In June 2021, the Merit Council with a new Alternate Member met and continued its work, read the story here.
At the meeting on July 15, 2021 Knox Sheriff Tom Spangler was a no show, he however had KCSO’s Wesley Norris, Lisette Avles, David Amburn and Steve Webb as well as Assistant Chief Deputy Bernie Lyon. Former Sheriff Jimmy J.J. Jones and his former Assistant Chief Deputy Eddie Biggs were present. Jones is challenging Spangler in the May 3, 2022 Republican Primary for Sheriff.
Bernie Lyon speaking on behalf of Knox Sheriff’s Office on July 15, 2021
Lyon informed the Commission on Thursday the department is down 70 people, here is my recording (the volume is low). I continue to keep track of the numbers of losses. From May 7 – June 7, 25 Knox Sheriff employees left. Since September 1, 2018 more than 350 have left. What I hear it is not pay, it is morale and it is working condition.
Additionally, my phone blew up on Friday when officers got their pay check statements, the pay raise that Sheriff Spangler took credit (read the July 8, 2021 story here) for, the 5% raise, on paycheck statements this week, it appears to be a 4-4.2% raise, still following.
