Mecklenburg County sheriff addresses frustration over pay to county leaders

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden asked at Tuesday’s county commissioners meeting why he hasn’t been paid.

The Sheriff's Office said the county manager will meet with the sheriff Thursday morning.

This issue has been out of the public eye until Tuesday when things reached a boiling point for McFadden and he made it very public.

[RELATED: Sheriff-elect McFadden stays focused on issues from campaign]

McFadden’s comments before the Mecklenburg County Commissioners were cut short.

"I hate to stop you, but if you want to email any more information, we'd be happy to read it,” a commissioner said.

[Sheriff McFadden begins tenure by ending ICE’s 287(g) program in Mecklenburg County]

There are questions over why the new sheriff has only been paid pennies in his first weeks in office.

“It was in conflict. My compensation was eight cents this week,” McFadden said.

The sheriff’s spokeswoman said the county said it made a mistake in only paying McFadden that eight cents, but that only added to the frustration over pay.

[New sheriff in town: McFadden ousts Carmichael in Meck County]

The Sheriff’s Office said, up until Wednesday, county manager Dena Diorio hadn’t showed good faith in negotiating McFadden’s salary or the salaries of a chief he promoted and his public information officer.

“No one has yet to speak to me, talk to me or discuss my salary since that first day,” McFadden said.

When Channel 9 asked Diorio about negotiations with the sheriff, she sent the following statement:

“I look forward to a positive working relationship with Sheriff McFadden. This is a personnel matter that I will resolve with him directly.”

Former Sheriff Irwin Carmichael, who held the office for four years, made $191,000 in his last year.

The county wouldn't comment on its offer to McFadden.

McFadden said the county isn't following the law by reducing his salary without a commission vote.

The sheriff's meeting with the county manager to discuss his salary will be at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday.

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