PROVO — Utah County commissioners say they have the money needed to avoid closing pods at the Utah County Jail and laying off staffers.

But Sheriff Jim Tracy will apparently still follow through with his plan to resign at the beginning of August, just months ahead of his already planned retirement.

Last week, Tracy unexpectedly announced his resignation citing a lack of funding for the jail and a lack of communication from commissioners. In doing so, the sheriff also said he would be forced to remove about 128 beds at the jail and lay off employees to make up for the budget shortfall. Tracy said the sheriff's office has already been sent to collections for not paying its bills on time.

At the core of the issue is an inmate who, while awaiting trial, is receiving expensive medical treatment. The inmate's name and what he's being treated for have not been revealed by authorities citing federal privacy laws.

But the inmate has already cost the county about $500,000 in medical expenses, according to the commission, and could cost up to an additional $450,000 by the end of the year. The county only budgets $400,000 annually for all inmate medical expenses.

On Friday, County Commission Chairman Nathan Ivie posted on his Facebook page that he had met with Tracy and assured him that enough funds will be provided to treat both the inmate and keep the jail fully operational through the end of the year.

Related:

Utah County sheriff resigns, cites frustration with commissioners over jail funding

Saying that he has sent five emails to commissioners over the past two months with no response, Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy unexpectedly announced his resignation Tuesday during the Utah County Commission meeting.

Ivie said Monday that the money will come "from our reserves."

"Obviously the unknown is how much this guy is going to cost us if his medical bill suddenly skyrockets because of a change in treatment," he said. "Based on our conversation with the sheriff and our prediction, we're going to try and get enough in (the budget) to get us through the end of the year."

Tracy has yet to make a public statement since announcing his resignation July 3. But an email sent to his staff thanking them for their service indicated that he was still planning to go through with his resignation. Ivie, too, believed the sheriff was resigning.

"The sheriff has been an amazing public servant his entire career. His dedication to the safety of the citizens of this county is unmatched. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with him. He will be greatly missed. He has earned the peace and enjoyment the next chapter of his life holds and I have complete respect and admiration for him," Ivie posted on Facebook. "There will never be a replacement for Sheriff Tracy."

Commissioner Greg Graves also thanked Tracy for his service Monday afternoon. But in an open letter obtained by KSTU-TV, the embattled commissioner also called out his colleagues for not properly addressing a budget situation that he said Tracy had been warning about for years.

"Sheriff Tracy has always informed the commission that we are not ready for many future situations and that sooner or later we are going to have to pay the piper," he wrote. "We as a commission continually let the sheriff know and reassured him that if anything ever happened, we would take care of it and give him what he needs. In my opinion, it is regrettable to inform the public we did not keep our commitment."

Graves said the issue is bigger than the medical expenses of one inmate, according to the letter. He called it "appalling" that the commission could not take care of the needs of its residents.

"We have been approving budgets that have exceeded our income for the past couple of years," he said.

Graves has been at the center of controversy of his own since December for allegedly sexually harassing a county employee and creating a hostile work environment. More than a dozen Utah County elected officials, as well as an Alliance for a Better Utah, have called for his resignation. Graves, whose term ends at the end of the year, said he will not seek re-election.

Pleasant Grove Police Chief Mike Smith recently won the Republican primary election for sheriff. And because there is no Democratic contender, he is set to replace Tracy in January.

Once there is officially a vacancy in the position of sheriff, the Utah County Republican Party will have 30 days to submit a name to the Utah County Commission for approval to fill the remainder of Tracy's term. Whether that means Smith will leave his position as Pleasant Grove chief and start his tenure as sheriff early was unknown on Monday.

Ivie said while Smith would be a good choice to start early, he was also confident that others, such as some of the sheriff's top commanders, could fill the temporary vacancy.

Smith did not immediately return KSL's calls for comment on Monday.

Related topics