People of Rockdale, as you know from the last video titled "Eric Levett Budget Meeting Debacle", the Director of Finance Roslyn Miller stated, "the Sheriff's office was given a total of $6 million in SPLOST money, one million being specifically used for improvements at the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office". What Eric Levett will not tell you is that he used one million dollars in SPLOST money for adding a workout gym to his floor (where his office is located) and a new personal bathroom for his chief deputy.
Now, Eric Levett has come back to the Rockdale County Board of Commissioner's budget meeting to request thousands of dollars of taxpayer's money to replace a jail intercom system and a new water heater.
During this budget meeting, Eric Levett stated, " We've had a few issues with the intercom and had to repair it over and over." Eric Levett goes on to say "to our knowledge" then pauses for a second, then lies by saying "...little to our knowledge, we have come to discover the intercoms needs to be replaced." Eric Levett's statement proves he had knowledge that the intercom system not working, but he chose to spend one million dollars towards a gym and a personal bathroom for his deputy chief.
Eric Levett goes as far as to say the intercom system was a problem that had lingered since before he took office. Yet again, Eric Levett has pushed the blame towards someone other than himself.
Eric Levett then requested $49,466 of taxpayers' dollars to have the hot water system in the jail upgraded or replaced. Fixing the hot water system inside the jail is a reasonable expenditure. However, Eric Levett goes on to say he can possibly have the system fixed within his current budget because he should have some funds left over. Eric Levett calls this leftover funds "under budget." In Business 101, any money dedicated to a budget that is not spent when all requirements have been met is called a surplus NOT "under budget."
As the meeting progresses, Eric Levett uses the topic of Mental Illness to deceive the people of Rockdale and the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners. He said he needed to add personnel to his staffing. Levett stated he needed money to fund a subcontractor who would be used to take over their social media and special projects.
What Eric Levett did not tell you: this subcontractor was his "Assistant Michael Myers", who was once employed by the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office.
During Michael Myers's employment, Eric Levett paid $54,000 a year to Michael Myers as a civilian employee who assisted the Sheriff. What Eric Levett will not tell you is Michael Myers is one of his personal friends. Eric Levett seems to be using Rockdale County taxpayer's money to fuel their friendship by paying Michael Myers to run the Sheriff's Office Facebook page and possibly his reelection campaign's Facebook page.
People of Rockdale County, the Sheriff's Office could've used several solutions to handle their social media page. For instance, many colleges ask organizations for internships for their college students. Internships offers students a chance to gain on-the-job-training as well as community service hours. Rockdale County also has a citizen volunteer group who volunteer their free time. The Sheriff's Office has an Explorers program that mentors young people into the profession of law enforcement. These are just a few examples of solutions that could've been used outside of Eric Levett paying his friend as a subcontractor with taxpayers Money. Now the real question is, how much of our tax dollars are being spent on subcontracting Michael Myers? Did Eric Levett use the bid process for this job, or did Eric Levett just give this job to Michael Myers?
People of Rockdale, as a leader of the Sheriff's Office who regularly states he is trying to recruit the best and the brightest people to serve the citizens of Rockdale, one would think that a leader would strive to present himself as a symbol of the best and the brightest.
What has become evident during this meeting is Eric Levett has no working knowledge of basic business practices and has no understanding of being S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.) All credible business leaders understand this basic business concept.
People of Rockdale, we can't sit back and let Eric Levett misuse our tax dollars to fund his friends and family. Spending one million dollars on a gym and a new bathroom for his chief deputy does not show strong leadership. Eric Levett has demonstrated he is incompetent as well as irresponsible when it comes to using taxpayers' money efficiently. Eric Levett himself has revealed there are more critical areas at the Sheriff's Office that could have used that one million of taxpayers' money rather than squandering it on a bathroom for his chief deputy and a gym. Now Eric Levett is squandering more of the taxpayer's money on a subcontractor for their social media page. This behavior must be stopped and weeded out of Rockdale County. We cannot sit back and let this corrupt behavior continue.
Question to Ask Eric Levett and His Administration:
1. How is it Eric Levett's personal assistant (Michael Myers) was being paid $54,000 a year, but a Rockdale County deputy who serves the people of Rockdale County and puts their life in harm's way only makes $38,000 a year?
2. Why is Eric Levett reinforcing nepotism and cronyism as a standard in the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office?
3. Would you give $22 million in budget funding to individuals who consistently prove they have no understanding of fundamental business practices?
4. How can Eric Levett claim to have strong leadership when Eric Levett has a poor understanding of fundamental business concepts?
5. How can we continue to support the person who is unqualified and incompetent?
6. How can we trust Eric Levett with our tax dollars when he continues to funnel our tax money into his family and friends' hands?
7. How can Eric Levett justify using Rockdale County taxpayers' money for a contractor to run a Facebook page?
8. Why is Eric Levett not using taxpayers' money to combat the violent crime that has grown since he took office?