Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., on Friday appealed a Jefferson County Court order issued by County Judge Gerald Robinson that transferred money from County General and the Detention Facilities Maintenance and Operation fund to reserve funds.
The order, dated May 25, called for transferring $400,000 from County General to the County General Reserve and $800,000 from Detention Facilities Maintenance and Operation to the Detention Facilities Maintenance and Operation Reserve Fund.
The appeal, filed by Attorney Kimberly D. Dale, who represents Woods in on-going legal actions against Robinson, contends the court order is unconstitutional, a violation of due process and the separation of powers and should be declared null and void.
Justice of the Peace Lloyd Franklin previously warned Robinson that his use of court orders to transfer funds and pay county bills because the Quorum Court has not adopted a policies and procedures ordinance was illegal.
In a letter to Robinson, Franklin said appropriations are legal when adopted by the Quorum Court and not the County Judge and transfers are appropriations, meaning that moving money from one fund to another requires an appropriation.
After five months of failing to approve a policies and procedures ordinance, the Quorum Court will try again tonight when an ordinance allowing the county’s legislative body to conduct business through July 29 will be voted on. That ordinance was approved during committee meetings earlier this month.
