The son of Sheriff Jim Hammond has gotten caught up in an anti-nepotism resolution from County Commissioner Tim Boyd that appeared to be initially aimed at two employees of the District Attorney's Office.
Jimi Hammond has been the IT manager for the Sheriff's Department for 14 years. Sheriff Hammond said his son competed through civil service for the position, and he said he does not supervise him.
The sheriff said, "I think this resolution was not well thought out. It started out with a brush up between Commissioner Boyd and the district attorney (Neal Pinkston)." Mr. Pinkston prosecuted Commissioner Boyd on an extortion charge, which was finally dismissed.
Mr. Pinkston's wife, Melydia Clewell, and her brother are on the payroll in the DA's office.
The County Commission is to vote next week on the resolution, which bars a constitutional officer from using county funds to pay the salary of an immediate family member. Commissioner Boyd said, "They could pay with donations or state or federal funds, but not county funds."
The commissioner said he asked each of the 26 constitutional officers (which includes all the judges) if the resolution would affect them. He said 20 have replied, listing only a single employee that would be affected.
If approved by the commission, it would go into effect next July at the start of the new budget.