DELPHI — Carroll County's council president called in law enforcement at Thursday morning's council meeting after what he called an "outburst" by the auditor during discussion about the role of human resources in the county.
The county council might pursue legal action against Auditor Tom Gray, who some council members say is not following county law by refusing to assume human resources duties. Gray contests the claim, saying Indiana Code does not include human resources in the auditor's job description.
Gray said he'll stop carrying out human resources duties by June 30 unless the county either raises his pay, reinstates the county coordinator position or hires a human resources worker.
"They can ask the auditor to do HR, and I’m not saying we won’t do HR, but we’re not going to do it for $20 a week," Gray said in an interview after the meeting.
Council President Jaime Rough said a county ordinance passed several years ago and adopted in the personnel handbook states human resource functions are the job of the auditor's office. The council also recently allocated about $1,000 for human resources to the auditor's office when the former auditor, Vicky Snipes, shifted from county coordinator to auditor in 2015.
At the Thursday, June 16, council meeting, Gray explained that when he took over as auditor in April — replacing the third auditor to resign in less than three years — he didn't know human resources was part of the job, saying he understood the position included personnel management, payroll and budgeting, based on Indiana Code and other state documents.
Council Vice President Steve Pearson questioned Gray on why he didn't know about the human resource duties after participating in past Republican caucuses. Rough said after the meeting that past auditors have always acknowledged human resources as part of the job.
"The bottom line is, you raised your right hand, you took an oath of office, part of that oath is to uphold the law, the laws of the state of Indiana and Carroll County has an ordinance, that’s a law," Pearson said. "If you don’t … you’re in violation of the law."
Gray began to read his oath of office as council members said it wasn't necessary to hear it. After a few seconds of Gray reciting the oath, Rough called for order in the meeting.
"Point of order. You will not read any more of that," Rough said. "…I’ll have the auditor removed from the meeting then. I pressed the panic button for the sheriff to come. We’re not talking about it any more."
A Carroll County sheriff's deputy and Delphi police officer later arrived.
Also in that discussion, Commissioner John Brown said county employees he's spoken with are concerned about who will take over human resources duties. He also said the county decided to hire a full-time and part-time employee when the county coordinator position was eliminated.
"I can’t understand why Tom can’t do it with three full time and one part time," Brown said about the number of workers in the office.
At the June 6 commissioners meeting, Gray said County Attorney Ted Johnson told the members that Indiana Code does not say the auditor has to carry out human resources tasks. Rough said the county's ordinance, however, states otherwise, which could lead to legal issues after June 30 if Gray refuses to carry out those tasks.
Gray said after the meeting that he's assumed human resource duties for the past few months. He'd keep on doing so after June 30 if the council approves a compensation increase of $8,000, something he said is a bargain compared to hiring a full-time employee.
"They think they can demand that I do it for $1,000 a year, and I said, they might as well demand that I wash their car every Friday," he said. "I’m not required to and I’m not going to do it."
The commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. Monday, June 20, in the courthouse, where further discussion on the human resources duties is expected.