KMPH Fox 26 Central San Joaquin Valley News Source in Fresno, California Entertainment, News, Sports and Weather | Sheriff Margaret Mims Announces Plans To Sue Fresno County
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The budget battle between Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims and the Fresno County Board of Supervisors has hit a fever pitch, with the Sheriff now threatening to sue.
On Friday, Mims' Attorney Martin Kayer, said he plans to file paperwork next week to sue the Board of Supervisors on behalf of the sheriff.
Mims claims the board does not have the legal authority to tell her how to cut her budget and deploy her department's resources, as they have been trying to do in recent weeks.
A $3.9 million dollar budget deficit has forced Mims to prepare to lay off 69 correctional officers, and close three floors of the county jail.
Just this week Mims brought 4 proposals to the board to look over in hope of solving the crisis.
Both the Correctional Officers Union and The Deputy Sheriff's Association helped to bring down that deficit by agreeing to $1 million worth of cuts each, equipment allowances and furloughs.
Friday, the Board of Supervisors voted four to one on an option that would keep all of the floors of the jail open and save all correctional officer jobs up for layoff. The option required Mims to make cuts elsewhere in her department, while keeping Deputy Sheriff's and other sworn personnel.
Mims says the board cannot tell her where to cut back and she will still lay off 23 correctional officers by this Monday. The board, however, rescinded those layoffs, and says if the sheriff tells anyone to go home, they'll simply consider them on vacation and they'll still have a job.
In response to the lawsuit threat, Supervisors say their main objective was always to prevent the early release of inmates. The sheriff says with only two floors of the jail currently open, those correctional officers won't have anything to do and the layoffs are necessary.
Stay with KMPH and KMPH.com as we continue to follow this story.
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