County : Supervisors to Hire Jail Overseer as Consultant
County supervisors agreed Tuesday to hire Lawrence G. Grossman, the special master overseeing the county’s efforts to relieve jail overcrowding, as a consultant on jail operations.
Grossman’s salary contract will be negotiated later, but county officials said they saw no conflict between his work for the federal judge who appointed him to keep tabs on county actions to improve jail conditions and his new work on behalf of the county.
A former federal prison warden, Grossman, 57, was appointed by U.S. District Judge William P. Gray 1 1/2 years ago after Gray found the county in contempt for not meeting his 1978 order to improve conditions at the jail. Grossman has been paid with fines imposed on the county by the judge.
Richard P. Herman, the American Civil Liberties Union attorney whose suit against the county led to Gray’s order, said he was happy with the appointment of Grossman, whose role will include advising on training of jail personnel.
Grossman will report to County Administrative Officer Larry Parrish, who is an appointee of the board, and Sheriff Brad Gates, who is elected.
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