The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850, 71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@alltel.net

By RICHARD HARRIS (From the June 21, 2006 issue)
   Chattahoochee County Sheriff Glynn Cooper plans to challenge the recent vote to drastically cut the funding for his office, saying it would undermine his ability to carry out his duties and that it appears to be politically motivated.
   The Commission of the Unified Government of Cusseta-Chattahoochee County passed a budget recently that slashed $300,000 from the funding of the Sheriff’s Office for fiscal year 2007. The same budget earmarks $578,744 to pay for the creation of a new “county police department” that would be controlled by the commissioners.
   Attorney Richard Hagler, who is representing Sheriff Cooper, said he anticipates filing an injunction in the near future – probably before the end of this week -- in Chattahoochee County Superior Court, to prevent the new budget from taking effect until the sheriff’s objection can be heard in court.
   If successful in obtaining a temporary halt to the funding cut, the sheriff is expected to file suit to have his office funded as it was previously.
   One part of the sheriff’s argument in court will be that the drastically reduced funding ($198,963) is simply not enough to operate the Sheriff’s Office. Hagler pointed out that the position of sheriff is a constitutional office and that the sheriff has obligations he is required by the constitution to carry out.