Sheriff asking for more money for legal bills

Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers will be asking the County Council for $40,000 more to pay the sheriff’s department legal bills.

Myers said that the legal fund has already been depleted for the year, but the sheriff’s office is in the midst of several lawsuits including the federal Cary Owsley case. There are also regular, day-to-day legal needs.

The County Council had set a legal budget of $30,000 for the sheriff’s department. Myers said that the county has cut back the budget of all departments so much that he expects a constant stream of elected office holders and department heads coming to the council for necessities that weren’t funded in last year’s budget.

Myers brought his case to the county council at its work session last night and will ask for the aid at next week’s regular council meeting.