By Lee Barnes
lbarnes@salisburypost.com
Rowan County Sheriff George Wilhelm has announced his retirement, effective in less than two weeks.
The sheriff made the unexpected announcement Monday during a meeting of the Rowan County Commissioners. He said that even Chief Deputy Kevin Auten, whom Wilhelm is recommending as his replacement, was unaware of the decision.
The sheriff, who first took office in December 1998, makes $103,154 per year. He manages a total of 207 employees, including 121 full-time officers and 50 full-time civilians.
Wilhelm announced earlier this year that he would be running again in 2010, but later asked the county to give him vacation and sick days going back 11 years, a move that would add more than a year to his retirement benefits.
Monday night, with one of his two daughters standing at his side as he made the announcement, he said, “I know this is quick, but I believe it’s best for the sheriff’s department.”
He said the timing gives prospective candidates plenty of time to prepare for the race.
His resignation is effective Monday, Nov. 30, at midnight.
In taking retirement, he is asking the county to let him keep his badge and his Glock pistol. He is also asking the county to provide him with group health insurance. The commissioners said Monday they’ll have to think about the insurance request.
Wilhelm was a deputy sheriff with the county for 15 years. He was fired in early 1995 by former Sheriff Bob Martin after running against him in the 1994 election.
After his firing, he joined the sheriff’s office and began campaigning again for sheriff. In 1998, he beat Martin.
Wilhelm’s tenure has not been without its problems. Earlier this year, the state placed Kathy Hudgins, the sheriff’s secretary, on leave while the State Bureau of Investigation looked into the possibility of misappropriation of cash from the office. Hudgins resigned in June.
At the time, an auditor wrote that Hudgins “seemed to be performing all of the financial functions for this department without adequate supervision.” He pointed out that daily cash receipt registers were not being compared to the corresponding deposit slip by a different employees.
In 2005, three former clerical workers with the department filed a lawsuit against Wilhelm, saying he violated their First Amendment right to free speech in firing them after they supported a political rival.
In both suits, the former workers said Wilhelm fired them without prior warning or explanation because they openly supported former Sheriff’s Lt. Sara Potts during her 2002 bid for sheriff.
Later the same year, the Rowan County Commissioners unanimously agreed to pay $135,000 to settle the suit. County officials put the total cost of the settlement at $183,000, including legal fees and the reimbursement to the state of $30,500 in unemployment benefits.
At the time, one commissioner, angry over Wilhelm’s apparent lack of concern about the settlement, suggested cutting the sheriff’s salary.