N. Carolina sheriff says he was paid $1 in first weeks

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The sheriff of North Carolina’s largest county says he was paid just $1 before taxes for his first few weeks in office.

The Charlotte Observer reports Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden told county commissioners Tuesday that no one had spoken to him about his salary since he was sworn in Dec. 4.

In November’s election, McFadden defeated incumbent Irwin Carmichael, who earned $191,626 a year.

Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Tonya Rivens says county officials first offered McFadden a $153,000 salary Thursday. Rivens says McFadden declined that and a higher amount, before accepting compensation on par with Carmichael’s.

County spokesman Rick Christenbury said he couldn’t verify if action was taken on McFadden’s pay. County manager Dena Diorio’s office said the salary issue was a “personnel matter” that she’d resolve directly with McFadden.

___

Information from: The Charlotte Observer, http://www.charlotteobserver.com