Commissioners reach settlement with sheriff's office

December 15, 2012

A controversial lawsuit pitting the Elk County Board of Commissioners against the county sheriff's office was resolved with little fanfare Friday as following three hours of testimony both sides reached a settlement behind closed doors.
The civil suit was filed by Elk County Sheriff Jeffrey C. Krieg on Dec. 6 in an effort to compel the commissioners to cover the sheriff's nearly $9,000 budget deficit and retroactively pay his employees through the year's end up until the 2013 budget takes effect.
In testimony heard Friday from Elk County Sheriff Jeffrey C. Krieg and Chief Deputy Theresa Merritt, both detailed the extensive list of duties performed by the office and its officers while noting that the frequency with which they do so has increased dramatically in recent years and said this has contributed directly to the office's nearly $9,000 deficit.