POSSIBLE LAWSUIT BETWEEN SHERIFF & DEKALB CO.

County attorney Charles Mauney will look it over it, and hell present the options to the commission at the next meeting, Holcomb said.

The news comes after results of an audit requested by commissioners earlier this year were released at the commissions regular meeting on Tuesday. The results show Harris received about $1.6 million for housing federal inmates.

Of that, the commission received nearly $1.4 million, leaving a difference of $256,751, which Harris withheld due to a 60-40 split agreement he said was reached between the sheriffs department and the commission. Holcomb has said no such agreement existed.

A detailed outline of expenditures was included in the audit showing where Harris spent the money he withheld. It includes jail upkeep and other equipment purchases.

After an overview of the audit results by County Administrator Matt Sharp, Holcomb said Harris entered into an illegal contract with U.S. Marshals to house federal inmates. Holcomb has said the commission should have also signed the contract and control money received from U.S. Marshals.

Mauney said one option includes filing legal action in circuit court to ask for clarification as to whether the commission or the sheriff should receive and distribute the money. Harris said he would wait to see what the commission decides.

Commissioners agreed they needed to sit down with the sheriff to try to work through their differences to bring the issue to a close. A decision on the next course of action is expected at the next commission meeting.