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July 10, 2007 - (WCAX-TV) - "Sheriff's Bonus Payments Trigger Policy Change" - (Return to News)

Sheriff's Bonus Payments Trigger Policy Change

Berlin, Vermont -- July 10, 2007

Vermont's county sheriffs are making policy changes in response to our story Monday about a former sheriff who doled out nearly $25,000 in questionable bonuses as he left office, some of it to his own family.

The Xmas bonuses paid by former sheriff Amos Colby was unacceptable to the sheriffs association who met Tuesday. They are hoping to avoid any more stories like this.

"We have a concern -- primarily the public perception," said Addison County Sheriff  Jim Coons during a break in a meeting Tuesday with the Vermont Sheriffs Association in Berlin. The Sheriffs discussed policy changes in several areas -- including the one created  by former Essex County Sheriff Amos Colby.

He paid nearly $25,000 in Christmas bonuses to a dozen employees just before he left office last December.

$4,000 of the bonuses went to his wife and daughter who worked in the sheriff's office. The payments were approved by the county side judges who are Colby's cousins. Colby defends the payments saying the employees had earned them.

"Certainly just what we know of the facts in this case thus far, there are more questions than answers," said Vermont Attorney General Bill Sorrell.

"And if I was a resident of Essex County, I'd be asking a number of questions myself," he added.

Sorrell's office is investigating the bonus payments but he acknowledges it's unlikely that any laws were broken.

The sheriffs agree, but they are more concerned about how the bonus payments look to the public.

"There was certainly an appearance of things perhaps done that uh we're not pleased about," said Sheriff Jim Coons.

To address the problem, the sheriffs association has already drawn up a draft proposal for a new bonus policy.

"Looking specifically at adopting a policy as it relates to what's appropriate and what can or be done as far as bonuses," said Coons.

The sheriffs all agreed  that this new policy needs to be adopted as soon as possible. They hope it will be in place before the end of the year.

The state auditor who reported this, Tom Salmon, said there are clear guidelines in state agencies and departments about how to recognize outstanding employees with bonuses. Salmon hopes similar guidelines would be adopted by the sheriffs. He also praised Colby's law enforcement record and said "this is an unfortunate postscript to an otherwise fine career".

Brian Joyce - Channel 3 News