10 Assigned County Vehicles Taken Back by Sheriff’s Office
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MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — Ten ranking supervisors and administrators were told to turn in their keys to their county assigned vehicles, Wednesday. Interim Sheriff of Madison County, Tommy Cunningham, told WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News that unnecessary tax dollars being spent is the reason he is reassigning how the county cars will be used. “This is what we felt like at this time needed to be pulled and we will be looking at other vehicles,” Cunningham said. Six of the cars were driven by employees at the Madison County Jail, including the jail cook and nurse. Other cars were returned by the sheriff’s financial administrator, Rose Cash. Two were used by women linked to former Sheriff David Woolfork, Lt. Lisa Balderrama, and Lt. Sylvia Anderson. “I think it’s a waste of money pretty much,” Madison County resident, Bret McPherson, said. “I mean, there’s no need for a financial administrator to have a car to take home.” Cunningham even took a car used by his wife, Lt. Wanda Cunningham, who works at the county’s Penal Farm. “I looked at it and we felt like the cost outweighed the benefit and that just happened to be one of the vehicles,” Cunningham said. Cunningham would not comment on why the cars were given to the employees, and would only say it was a decision made previously by Woolfork. Right now, the sheriff’s office said they have not determined how much money this will save the county. Cunningham also said he has restored a chain of command system at the sheriff’s office. He said he has given authority back to supervisors, allowing them to handle scheduling and department issues without it going through his office first. Below is a full list of the ten assigned county vehicles that were returned: Jail: Lt. Harold Petty Lt. David Cisco Lt. Sylvia Anderson Lt. Gwendolyn Bell Nurse Ovester Powell Cook Ron Schiels Court Security: Lt. Lisa Balderrama Penal Farm: Lt. Wanda Cunningham Post: Rose Cash Sgt. Jennifer Brandon
