Commissioners reiterate Ellerby allegations

By Kay S. Pedrotti’Where did the $8,000 go?’ Hal Williams asked the Lamar County Commission last month about the clearing of former payroll clerk Gretchen Ellerby.’We know where it went,’ said chairman Jay Matthews. ‘The amount was $7,700, and it went into her paycheck in weekly amounts from February of 2009 to July 2010.’He added that the commission is ‘still exploring avenues’ to deal with what they believe to be wrongful actions by Ellerby, despite a grand jury ruling that a joint GBI/sheriff’s office investigation did not find enough evidence to warrant further inquiry into the commission’s charges. The grand jury also recommended that Ellerby be given her job back or be allowed to collect unemployment benefits.