Court sides with sheriff in jail grievance hearing

The full St. Francis County Quorum Court heard a grievance Thursday night that was filed by former SFC Sheriff's Department employee Linda Long, who was fired last year. Long, who was employed as a part-time nurse in the SFC Jail, requested the hearing in order to explain her side of the situation that led to her termination. SFC Attorney Fletcher Long said both Long and Sheriff Bobby May would have an opportunity to speak on the matter. "The way this is going to work is that Mrs. Long has been terminated by the sheriff's office and she will have a chance to present her grievance," the attorney said. "After she has presented her grievance, then the sheriff's office, Sheriff May and the Chief Deputy (Capt. J.R. Kersey), will have an opportunity to rebut what she had to say with any additional information they think you all should know." The attorney explained that while the Court cannot override a decision made by an elected official, it can suggest changes to the decision in the form of a recommendation. "After that is done, it is going to be up to you all to deliberate and decide what you want to do," said Long. "On the front end, I will tell you that whatever you do is a recommendation only. In other words, you cannot overturn the decision of the elected official. You can recommend that he changes his decision in some way or another, but whatever you say, it is a recommendation." Linda Long told justices that the only issues she had with anyone at the jail had been with former jail administrator Kim Lovelace regarding her keeping a phone on her at home. "Dee (Michaelis) hired me," said Linda Long. "I went and saw her in the later part of July 2024, and she wanted me to start the Monday after I retired so I started on September 23, 2024. I never had any complaints except one with Kim (Lovelace). I am not a 'phone toter.’ When I go home, I plug in my phone and my kids know how to get to me. When I am at home I don't tote my phone. Those were the only words I had with Kim. She told me I needed to carry my phone in case they needed to get me." According to Linda Long, she reported to her supervisor at the jail that she would be unable to work due to health issues. "I started having some medical issues in February of 2025," Long told the Court. "I was knew that I wasn't going to work. I was not able to. I was short of breath, having chest pain and a rapid heart rate." still going to work, and in August of 2025, the issues were getting worse. I was going to see Dee at The Ridge Clinic as she was my nurse practitioner. It was steadily getting worse and I didn't feel that I could run up and down the halls of the jail at that time. I texted Kim, I was texting Sharon (Jumper) the whole time. Dee Long said that upon returning to work on Sept. 29, 2025, she was informed that she had been terminated by returning jail administrator Jonnie Jones."On the 28th of September, I texted Sharon to let her know that I was going to try to come in because I knew she was covered up," said Long. "I came in on the 29th and at that time, I guess, Jonnie had stepped in as the jail administrator and she told me that I had been terminated. According to the letter that J.R. (Kersey) wrote, it was effective on the 30th. I am 68-years-old and I have never been fired from a job in my life. My feelings were hurt." According to May, Michaelis has no hiring and firing power within the county; however, she did recommend Long for a position at the jail. "First of all, I hired you," said May. "I hired you. What Dee does for the county, is that we utilize her umbrella for malpractice. She does not draw a county check unless she sees an inmate. She doesn't hire and fire anyone. I will ask her if she has any recommendations. She recommended Mrs. Long. That is how Mrs. Long got out there. I hired her. Dee had nothing do with hiring or firing her. Second of all, in 39 years, I have never fired anybody. People fire themselves. They fire themselves by not following the rules and regulations." May shared that he never received notice or excuses for eight weeks of work that were missed. "Mrs. Long missed work for four pay periods. That is eight weeks," said May. "I can tell you, I asked about her. Nobody up there had heard from her. I talked to Dee two or three times about Mrs. Long. She can't talk about any medical issues that any of her patients have, but if Mrs. Long was in fact unable to work because of medical reasons, she could have gotten a letter from Dee, excusing her for medical reasons. She knew she could do that, but she did not do that. If you are a businessman and one of your employees misses work for eight weeks and doesn't tell you anything, what are you going to do? You don't have to answer. I know exactly what you would do." According to May, if he had known that Long was having medical issues, he would have considered keeping her employed. "People who work have responsibilities," May told Long. "If they work for the people of St. Francis County, particularly where I am responsible, they are going to have to account for themselves. I am sorry about Mrs. Long's illness. I really am sorry, I hate that for you, I am very sorry, but there is no excuse for you not to report to me and let me know. If I had known, I may have considered keeping her because God knows, nurses at the jail are hard to find. But she didn't do it. You didn't work for Dee. You worked for me." "Address your comments to the board," said Justice Ernestine Weaver. May told Justices that it was frustrating to be before them, seeing Mrs. Long for the first time in may weeks. "That is what I call myself doing, but I was trying to make a point," said May. "This is the first time I have seen Mrs. Long in many weeks. It is really frustrating for me to be up here. Very frustrating. This is (Quorum Court Justice) Jimmy's (Long) daughter-in-law. I don't think we would be up here, Jimmy, if it weren't for you. Because I know you have talked to these other Quorum Court members." "You're lying," said Justice Jimmy Long. "I have not. Ask them." "The point being is that you should be recusing yourself," said May. "You should be." According to Fletcher Long, the county's personnel policy states that unreported absences will be unexcused until they are reported to the elected official. "We have a policy on file for what we are talking about here today," said the attorney. "Unreported absences will be unexcused until the employee notifies the elected official of his or her inability to work. Failure to notify the elected official properly on the absence will be excused when it is impossible for the employee to give such notice or to make arrangements for it to be given on his or her behalf. Employees should notify the elected official at the earliest possible time when the absence is present. The failure or inability to report regularly for work will be grounds for disciplinary action, including termination. That is what the personnel policy states." "Basically, it states that they need to report to the elected official," said Justice Kevin Vandiver. "Did she receive this policy when she was hired?” asked Justice Jamie Busby. May stated that everyone who gets hired in the county gets a copy of the personnel policy and that he assumed Mrs. Long had quit without notice. "When you get hired, you get a copy of the policy," said May. "Everyone gets a copy of the policy. I'm not mad at her, I don't dislike her. She did an okay job when she was nursing. It is tough to hire nurses at the jail. When I found out she wasn't coming in, I just assumed she quit and didn't give us notice. She missed four pay periods. That is eight weeks. What else was I to do? I didn't fire her, she fired herself." "I have to ask, Sheriff, if you don't mind," said Justice Regan Hill. "No matter what we do, are you going to hire her back?" "No sir," said May. Following the discussion, Justices held a brief executive session with justice Jimmy Long refusing to recuse from the Court. Upon returning to open session, the Court voted 8-to-1 in favor of upholding the sheriff's decision to terminate Long's employment at the jail. Justice Jamie Busby voted against the motion and Justice Long recused from the vote. Justice Leodis Williams did not attend the hearing.

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