THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 27, 1996 TAG: 9608270268
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BATTINTO BATTS JR., STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 64 lines
The City Council is considering whether to give Sheriff Gary Waters a 20 percent raise. It's likely to cause a stir at tonight's meeting.
City Manager Ronald W. Massie said he recommended a $15,000 supplement to Waters' state salary of $70,123 because the sheriff's department has been performing extra duties for the city.
But critics of the proposal say Waters is already getting extra benefits through the city's pension plan for police and firefighters.
``(Waters) wants to get every penny he can get out of the city until he can retire,'' said Richard Journee, president of the city's association of retired police and firefighters.
The State Compensation Board sets sheriffs' base salaries according to population.
Massie said Waters' department has saved the city thousands of dollars. The Portsmouth Sheriff's Department fingerprints and processes suspects and serves criminal warrants - duties usually performed by the Police Department and not included in the state's job requirements for sheriffs.
Hiring more police officers to do those jobs would cost the financially strapped city $200,000 a year, Massie estimates.
Massie said the raise would also reward Waters for securing more than half a million dollars annually for the city by housing federal inmates in the city jail.
``He goes far beyond the state-mandated functions and saves us money,'' Massie said.
Two city police and firefighters organizations are upset about the proposal.
Because Waters is eligible for retirement plans from both organizations, members said, a raise would strain their retirement funds. Because he has accepted federal prisoners, they said, he has overcrowded the city's jail. And besides, they said, Waters doesn't deserve the extra pay - his employees do.
``Gary Waters is not doing it. His people are doing it,'' Journee said. ``Gary Waters is not on the street.''
Waters worked in the Portsmouth Police Department for nearly 14 years and has been sheriff for the past 15 years.
Under the system, Waters could be eligible to receive 70 percent of his salary after retirement, Journee said.
Waters said he has earned the raise.
``I've been doing extra services ever since I've been here,'' he said. ``I am delighted to see that the city is willing to recognize that I do more than my fair share.''
Ronnie Davis, president of the Portsmouth chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, said housing federal inmates has helped push the city jail beyond capacity.
``That means we have to put other criminals on the street because we have federal prisoners,'' Davis said. ``The sheriff is running a business out of the jail. He is holding the city hostage.''
Journee said the retirement plan for the police and firefighters association is strong due to sound investments. But the plan's strength could change if the economy sours. And Waters' raise might add an additional strain.
``We are against this because he is taking money out of the system that he is not deserving of,'' Journee said. ``He is not doing anything that the rest of the people in the city of Portsmouth aren't doing.'' ILLUSTRATION: Sheriff Gary Waters says he is grateful that his
efforts have been recognized by the city.
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH CITY COUNCIL by CNB