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County Commission Approves Sheriff Lawsuit Settlement

Henderson County Sheriff Brian Duke address the settlement request with the county commissioners, September 26, 2022.
Photo by: Steve Corlew / The Lexington Progress

Article by Steve Corlew-

The Henderson County Commission approved a settlement in Sheriff Brian Duke’s lawsuit seeking more funds for his office.

In the commission’s first meeting since their swearing in ceremonies, commissioners voted 11-2-1 to approve a longevity pay plan for sheriff’s department employees and voted to give Duke permission to hire a social worker.

Commissioners Tommy Page and Joe Ross voted against the settlement. Commissioner Tonya Stegall abstained due to a conflict of interest. Sheriff Duke’s chief deputy is Larry Stegall.

The settlement was recommended by Mayor Robbie McCready following a meeting between him, Sheriff Duke, and McCready’s attorney Amber Shaw.

McCready noted that this was an issue he inherited upon taking office. “Retention is an issue,” McCready said. “The people that work at the Henderson County Justice Center, the staff and employees, do a thankless job.”

“The longevity plan matches the city (of Lexington), so we are not losing trained individuals,” McCready said.

The longevity pay starts at $300 a year and then after three years, it increases at a rate of $100 year. There was some discussion among commissioners about capping that pay, but…

For complete coverage, see the September 28th edition of The Lexington Progress.

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