[Ang]

I was reading in the Herald-Argus there was a small riot at the county jail yesterday. I guess the guys had to go on lockdown due to staffing shortages and the offenders didn't want to have to be in their cells because of over crowding. The Sheriff said it's the county council's fault because they didn't approve over time. The community says it's the Sheriff's fault because he bought a new Tahoe. (??? )
No one was seriously injured in the incident, but I'm curious what CBTL'ers think about it.

Some say he should use commissary funds to pay overtime, yet after the flack he receives from Earl Cunningham about "misappropriation" of commissary funds, I understand his reluctance to use them for the purpose of over time. The Sheriff said he ended up having to have Deputies work OT at the jail (at a much higher rate than jail employees' OT) and he's being crucified for that, too. Some comments also suggested that the jail workers are calling in sick because the Sheriff is a "lousy boss." Yet others are blaming the Sheriff for the over crowding. (I don't get how that's his fault either?)

What I don't understand is if Mike Mollenhaur is such a bad Sheriff, why was he elected to a 2nd term?

Thoughts?

[MCRogers1974]

I was reading in the Herald-Argus there was a small riot at the county jail yesterday. I guess the guys had to go on lockdown due to staffing shortages and the offenders didn't want to have to be in their cells because of over crowding. The Sheriff said it's the county council's fault because they didn't approve over time. The community says it's the Sheriff's fault because he bought a new Tahoe. (??? )
No one was seriously injured in the incident, but I'm curious what CBTL'ers think about it.

Some say he should use commissary funds to pay overtime, yet after the flack he receives from Earl Cunningham about "misappropriation" of commissary funds, I understand his reluctance to use them for the purpose of over time. The Sheriff said he ended up having to have Deputies work OT at the jail (at a much higher rate than jail employees' OT) and he's being crucified for that, too. Some comments also suggested that the jail workers are calling in sick because the Sheriff is a "lousy boss." Yet others are blaming the Sheriff for the over crowding. (I don't get how that's his fault either?)

What I don't understand is if Mike Mollenhaur is such a bad Sheriff, why was he elected to a 2nd term?

Thoughts?

One party rules northwest Indiana and MM is a member of that political party.

[Southsider2k12]

I was reading in the Herald-Argus there was a small riot at the county jail yesterday. I guess the guys had to go on lockdown due to staffing shortages and the offenders didn't want to have to be in their cells because of over crowding. The Sheriff said it's the county council's fault because they didn't approve over time. The community says it's the Sheriff's fault because he bought a new Tahoe. (??? )
No one was seriously injured in the incident, but I'm curious what CBTL'ers think about it.

Some say he should use commissary funds to pay overtime, yet after the flack he receives from Earl Cunningham about "misappropriation" of commissary funds, I understand his reluctance to use them for the purpose of over time. The Sheriff said he ended up having to have Deputies work OT at the jail (at a much higher rate than jail employees' OT) and he's being crucified for that, too. Some comments also suggested that the jail workers are calling in sick because the Sheriff is a "lousy boss." Yet others are blaming the Sheriff for the over crowding. (I don't get how that's his fault either?)

What I don't understand is if Mike Mollenhaur is such a bad Sheriff, why was he elected to a 2nd term?

Thoughts?

The interesting thing was the City paper version someone had put in the comments that things like that happen on a regular basis, and he was just exploiting it for political gain.

[Ang]

It just seems to me that the Sheriff does not control everything over there, there are rules he has to follow and regulations put in place to control what happens in that office. Just ask Earl, he knows them all......

So, why blame the Sheriff for problems at the jail? He requested OT $$ and was denied. He had to let jailers go because the County Council wouldn't let him have the money to pay those people. So now the jail is over crowded and under staffed and I fail to see how that's the Sheriff's fault. I don't care if the Sheriff is Mike Mollenhauer, Bob Blair, Jim Arnold, or Mickey Mouse, how is it his fault?

And don't tell me it's becase he got a new vehicle. Vehicles need to be replaced, and it happens all the time. Besides, when he got permission to purchase that new Tahoe, I'm sure the powers that be don't have ESP to foresee this situation.

[Southsider2k12]

It just seems to me that the Sheriff does not control everything over there, there are rules he has to follow and regulations put in place to control what happens in that office. Just ask Earl, he knows them all......

So, why blame the Sheriff for problems at the jail? He requested OT $$ and was denied. He had to let jailers go because the County Council wouldn't let him have the money to pay those people. So now the jail is over crowded and under staffed and I fail to see how that's the Sheriff's fault. I don't care if the Sheriff is Mike Mollenhauer, Bob Blair, Jim Arnold, or Mickey Mouse, how is it his fault?

And don't tell me it's becase he got a new vehicle. Vehicles need to be replaced, and it happens all the time. Besides, when he got permission to purchase that new Tahoe, I'm sure the powers that be don't have ESP to foresee this situation.

The council did ask him to keep his old vehicle.

[Ang]

So he just went and bought a new one anyway? How could he do that?

Please know that I'm not defending him or his actions. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the situation...

[MCRogers1974]

So he just went and bought a new one anyway? How could he do that?

Please know that I'm not defending him or his actions. I'm just trying to get a better understanding of the situation...

He used the money in his slush fund.

[MCRogers1974]

He used the money in his slush fund.

Sorry, his "commissary funds".

[Ang]

Ok, next question...
If he used commissary funds to buy a truck, but can't use those funds to pay OT, how do the two correlate?
And where was Earl Cunningham when he was buying a truck with commissary money? Or did Earl pitch a fit about it and I just missed it?

[Southsider2k12]

Ok, next question...
If he used commissary funds to buy a truck, but can't use those funds to pay OT, how do the two correlate?
And where was Earl Cunningham when he was buying a truck with commissary money? Or did Earl pitch a fit about it and I just missed it?

Supposedly he was cleared to use those funds for OT, but he didn't do it. Honestly it sounds like a big pissing contest where everyone else loses.

[Ang]

That's what it's looking like to me, too.

[mc46360]

It seems that certain individuals, Earl Cunningham for example, are out to go against anything and everything that Sheriff Mollenhauer wants. Never have really figured out what Cunningham's problem is with the Sheriff. But it is really getting old, I must say.

[backwoods]

It seems that certain individuals, Earl Cunningham for example, are out to go against anything and everything that Sheriff Mollenhauer wants. Never have really figured out what Cunningham's problem is with the Sheriff. But it is really getting old, I must say.

And EC is the last person to lecture on right or wrong... He tries to come off as Mr. Righteous only to have a grave yard of skeletons fall out of his closet when he puts his coat away...

[Ang]

Well that's the point I'm trying to make. I'm not sure whether to side with the Sheriff, or the whiners.

I agree that certain individuals seem to be bent against other individuals, and go to great lengths to turn molehills into mountains and I'm just trying to figure out what is fact and what is fiction.....

[Southsider2k12]

Well that's the point I'm trying to make. I'm not sure whether to side with the Sheriff, or the whiners.

I agree that certain individuals seem to be bent against other individuals, and go to great lengths to turn molehills into mountains and I'm just trying to figure out what is fact and what is fiction.....

It would be really nice if there were some investigative reporting done in these cases...

[Ang]

Yeah, well you better call someone in Lake, Porter, or St. Joe Counties because there certainly isn't such a thing as "investigative reporting" in LaPorte Co. Heck, we get our news first from the other counties before we get it from our own sometimes!

[Ang]

I know this isn't about the riot, but it is about what this thread progressed to......

http://heraldargus.com/articles/2012/10/05...01036453076.txt

Sheriff to county council: 'Stop micromanaging me'

By Gabrielle Gonzalez
Staff writer
219-326-3870 Ext. 13870
ggonzalez@heraldargus.com
Published: Thursday, October 4, 2012 4:55 PM CDT
La PORTE — More than 30 minutes of a one-hour long La Porte County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday evening was dedicated to a debate between the County Council and the Sheriff's Department.

Specifically, the discussion was a few long-winded rounds between Councilman Earl Cunningham and Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer. The bout between the two defenders pretty much met at a draw. They are both veterans to the ring, or as Mollenhauer put it "the grandstand" that is supervised by the two commissioners present, Ken Layton and Willie Milsap.

"I think it is now only fair that you be aware that the misdemeanor fund from January 1, 2007, through the 20th of last month has dispersed over $440,000 without council approval," said Cunningham to the commissioners. "There have been 128 checks written and at least on one occasion vehicles were purchased, and that is before either one of you commissioners took office so certainly you had nothing to do with this."

Cunningham also stated that two vans were purchased for $39,990.

"I don't think this is really the proper place to be discussing it because there is always my office, but Mr. Cunningham never chooses to do that," said Mollenhauer after listening to Cunningham's statements. "However, I just want to refresh maybe my own memory a little bit. On Oct. 18 when I was here, you, Mr. Layton, former sheriff, questioned me pertaining to the misdeamenor fund and getting approval."

Layton agreed with the questioning.

"Well, at that time Connie Trojanowski was in the back who has done the payroll for 30 or 35 years as an employee of the Sheriff's Department and she replied that she, in all her years has never known the sheriff to get approval for the misdemeanor fund to spend the funds," said Mollenhauer. "I researched it a little bit and that is true. There hasn't been a sheriff that I can find and seeing what the former sheriff did in 2006, where he purchased two vehicles, I don't think there was anything wrong with the two vans but maybe they were transportation vans that we have also. And he used the misdemeanor fund and according to the [county meeting] minutes there is no indication that he got permission."

Mollenhauer then stated County Councilman Rich Mrozinski sent an email pertaining to the permission. Mrozinski asked a former sheriff of the situation who said there should always be formal permission. Mrozinski accused the sheriff of making an error.

"And I don't think I made an error," said Mollenhauer. "I admitted that is the way it is."

As far as the cutting of the three part-time jail workers and being understaffed, Mollenhauer said they are holding on pretty well. He said the jail's fifth floor remains closed.

"Monday night, when I didn't get the overtime money I needed, there was nothing else I could do," said Mollenhauer. "I think anyone knows that if you don't have the money, you don't pay them. So that's why on Tuesday morning I got a hold of my administrative staff in the jail and told them that we are going to have to not pay any more money of that account, extra hire."

He said the "extra hire" account is the same account that the three part-time workers are paid out of, as well as overtime pay for the deputies. On two other occasions since the cut on Tuesday, the sheriff has had to pull out road officers to work the jail, he said.

"Had he come to the council to ask to spend money out of the commissary fund or the misdemeanor fund to cover the overtime he wouldn't have to do these things," rebutted Cunningham. "So, the council has been through this with him, all he has to do is come before us to get permission to use this out of the commissary fund."

As of Monday, Cunningham stated $104,000 is left in the misdemeanor fund and he is not sure how much is in the commissary fund. He said as long as the council approved it, Mollenhauer could spend overtime out of the commissary fund.

"It is the sheriff whose responsibility is to run the jail whether he can pay the overtime or not because we didn't approve the money," said Cunningham. "He had money in other funds that he could have received approval from the council. He chose not to do that and asked the taxpayers to go back to the well again when the general fund is $16 million dollars in the red and spend taxpayer dollars for overtime."

Cunningham also claimed that Milsap, who is on the ALCO-TV board, was at fault for having the station cut the program during Cunningham's public speaking at two previous meetings. Milsap stated he was not in control of the blackouts and that the Michigan City Council meeting is on air at 6:30 p.m. Milsap claimed the cut off by the television station was an accident due to meetings overlapping.

Mollenhauer then finished by saying the council has made some ridiculous statements recently and members were getting numbers wrong.

"They keep saying $51,000 for the Tahoe, its $41,000 and only $23,000 was paid for it and that was out of the commissary fund so the inmates bought that, that is not taxpayers dollars," said Mollenhauer. "$440,000? It is closer to $300,000 for all the recording equipment to put in the jail to save taxpayers money to save all us money on lawsuits and to keep that jail safe for all these inmates, the public and my deputies."

The sheriff threw in the towel reluctantly at the end of the discussion, explaining he had to leave due to a dinner appointment.

"I'll be going Oct. 18 before the council and get a request to use a portion of the misdemeanor funds," said Mollenhauer. "I think they need to stop micromanaging me and do their own job and let me do mine."