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Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to the inaccurate information in the letter written by Linda King published Dec. 6. To make sure all of the information that is provided to the public is accurate from the county website, I examined the information to determine it is correct. My investigation discovered that the financial information on the county website is correct, and that this person, as usual, is disseminating false, misleading propaganda.

Furthermore, Mrs. King has been invited to the Sheriff’s Office on numerous occasions to discuss any and all issues she or the group which she “represents” may have.

Linda King in the letter states: “Some commissioners requested that the deputies on the lower scale get a 15 percent raise while those at the top, less. It seems that the Sheriff’s comment rang true: ‘when you give me the money, I can do what I want.’ Those at the bottom of the wage scale saw eight percent while the Sheriff himself, took 15 percent. But then, it’s only our tax money, who cares?”

First, some commissioners did request that the deputies at the lower end of the pay scale receive a bigger percentage than those at the upper end. For example, the Sheriff did not give the lower end 15 percent, but he gave the lowest end deputy assigned to the detention facility a 20 percent raise. The salaries of these employees went from $21,715.28 in fiscal year 2006-07 to $26,133.12 in fiscal 2007-08.

Sheriff Berrong did give the lowest end deputy assigned to the patrol division a 15 percent raise. The salaries for these employees went from $23,940.89 last fiscal year to $27,443.52 in the current fiscal year, which is considerably less than the cities’ lowest paid patrolmen.

The range for salary increases was between three and 20 percent, with the higher percentages going to the lowest paid. Furthermore, the chief deputy received a three percent pay increase while the assistant chiefs were given a four percent pay increase. Finally, Sheriff Berrong received the same five percent pay increase that all the other elected officials were given.

I hope that Linda King and her clan will stop trying to mislead the public and have enough guts to ask for information, or have the courage to come clean with the public and let them know that she really does have a clue. Please call me should you have any questions at 273-5308.

Sincerely,
Jeff French
Asst. Chief of Administration
Blount County Sheriff’s Office
940 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy.
Maryville, TN 37804