I reported here on June 15, 2016 about the vacation leave policy of lame duck Knox County Property Assessor Phil Ballard and his Chief Deputy that received 300 hours a year or 7.5 weeks a year in vacation leave. I received the records on June 10, 2016 however, due to a medical issue was unable to publish my story until June 15, 2016.
When I published the story a member of the main stream media told me they had received my records and met with Ballard and he said he offered the Chief Deputy additional vacation leave in lieu of additional pay. Interesting is the fact that the main stream media reporter and the organization he works for have failed to report the investigation.
While I am skeptical of an office holder that has been reported earlier this year to be under investigation and we know from a WBIR news story this year is represented by a criminal defense lawyer, I sought to verify the information that Ballard supplied to another reporter, by requesting the annual accrued leave as reported by Ballard to Knox Co every year since he went into office on September 1, 2008. Weaver was hired in 2009, so verifying Ballard’s story would be easy. Right?
Knox County Finance could only supply January 1, 2012 through June 20, 2016. They said Ballard would have the remainder. I sought September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2011, Ballard respondEd that based on the county retention policy, he does not have the records.
A source with the TN Open Records Counsel has informed me that employment records should be retained for 5 years. Knox County possesses less than 4.5 years. Why is Knox County and Ballard shielding the other 6 months?
According to the records of Knox County Finance, here are the deposits of vacation leave for Jim Weaver, Chief Deputy of Phillip Ballard, lame duck Property Assessor since January 1, 2012.
January 1, 2012 438.75 hours SOY Adjustment (10.98 weeks)
June 30, 2012 37.50 hours Transfer (1 week)
July 1, 2013 225 hours Leave Adjustment (5.625 weeks)
May 22, 2014 225 hours Leave Adjustment (5.625 weeks)
June 28, 2014 37.59 hours Transfer (1 week)
June 12, 2015 225 Leave Adjustment (5.625 weeks)
December 25, 2015 693.75 SOY Adjustment (17.343 weeks)
April 25, 2016 300 Leave Adjustment (7.5 weeks)
Since December 25, 2015 Weaver has been given 993.75 hours according to the records supplied to me by the Knox County Finance Department.
So, that story that a certain media friend of Phil’s bought should have to explain their non story belief.
Former Trustee Mike Lowe served 7 months in jail for less than what Ballard has done in only this one payroll reward. According to the open record of Knox County Finance Department in 4.5 years Weaver has either “earned” or taken 54.785 weeks that is one year and 2.785 weeks. On November 6, 2014 according to Knox Co Finance Open Records Weaver was being paid $91,819.78 read my 11/6/2014 story here. I am confident that Weaver’s salary has increased since 2014. But I will pull salaries again.
It should be noted that Knox County initially answered my open records request with a document that revealed less than 500 vacation hours, for Weaver. When I asked why there was a discrepancy, Knox County took another 4 hours to submit the current document. I have all documents in my possession.
Knox County Finance Director Chris Caldwell said that Jim Weaver is the only employee in the Property Assessors office to have vacation manually entered in the Knox County software system.
I hope the fine ladies and gentlemen of the investigating units already looking into Ballard see that the pay out is nearly the same amount as Weaver’s campaign loan.
I am so thankful that Brian keeps looking into Knox County so the rest of the media in Knoxville are scared of Ballard and his overweight WBIR panelist Attorney. That’s why Channel 10 refuses to look at Ballard cause they are paid off.
Ballard and Weaver using county tax dollars to retire the campaign debt is surely illegal. I hope if Andrew was right about an investigation that the investigators are looking at this illegal use of county tax dollars