A second request from Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Marcum to the Clinton Fiscal Court was denied during the court’s regular meeting Thursday, September 19.
In 2023, the court had granted the sheriff’s office funding assistance for a one year period of $106,000–paid in quarterly $26,500 payments–to hire extra deputies to allow the department to provide 24/7 service.
In July, when the sheriff requested the continuance of that assistance, the court rejected the extra funding, citing primarily a shortfall in county funds and unfairness to other county offices and departments.
This prompted the sheriff to lay-off two deputies and no longer provide the total coverage his office had hoped to provide.
The issue was brought back up by Sheriff Marcum during his monthly report to the court, where he began by apologizing to the public for taking time to answer calls, saying “I’m trying.”
The sheriff further said Kentucky (law enforcement) had been hit hard, saying they were all having a hard time. He continued by saying he appreciated all the court members and, “I humbly beg for help and assistance again. I have nothing.”
Magistrate Terry Buster asked, “How much are you needing?” The sheriff said he didn’t know an exact figure, but something that would be enough to get something going. He added his office could work on a presentation and present it to the court at a later date.
Magistrate Buster then asked if the county paid for one more period (quarter-$26,500) to get the office into the tax collection season, would that help.
Magistrate Mickey Riddle then questioned about $9,000 taken out for health insurance on employees.
Sheriff’s office Tax Administrator Randy Jones said the office was basically borrowing from the county and Sheriff Marcum said whatever we owe, we pay back.
Magistrate Gary Ferguson asked, “Don’t you  have a budget?” Jones replied, “Yes, but it’s not enough.”
Magistrate Jerry Lowhorn again referenced the former sheriff, saying he did his job and turned over $100,000 (in excess fees).
Magistrate Ferguson said he was a former businessman and responsible “for what my employees done,” adding, “we did not de-fund (the sheriff’s) department.”
Magistrate Jason Pitman said that if one made the budget work, why is the budget not working now?
Sheriff Marcum answered, “because it was the sheer amount of work we have to do as time progresses.”
He said before he became sheriff, he was a police officer for over 20 years and saw a vacuum was going to be there.
Magistrate Buster agreed with the sheriff on the latter point, saying they can’t operate on what past sheriff’s did. “Everything has gone up, but tax rates haven’t,” he said.
Magistrate Riddle inferred the sheriff’s office allowed it to happen, and any grievance inflicted, they should take responsibility.
Riddle and other court members also took issue with some apparent social media posts related to the issue directed at fiscal court members from apparent former sheriff’s office employees. He stated the fiscal court had not de-funded the sheriff’s office.
Judge/Executive Ricky Craig admitted, “We should have had this conversation a year ago.” But he added that they (sheriff’s office) were told they may not get the money after the first year.
A motion was then made to enter into closed session on personnel.
At one point during the executive session, Sheriff Marcum was asked to join, and was behind closed doors with court members for only a couple of minutes prior to returning.
The court then returned to open session after approximately 20 minutes and announced no action had been taken.
No further discussion or action was taken on the sheriff’s request for assistance in open session and no further information on the matter has been made available as of press time.
The Clinton County Sheriff, as well as Clinton County Clerk and employees, are elected officials and by state statutes are not employees of county fiscal courts. They are paid from fees collected in association with their duties.
It should also be noted that neither the Clinton County Attorney, nor Assistant County Attorney were present at last week’s meeting.
The next regular meeting of the fiscal court is scheduled for October 17.