Jailer primary winner Willett takes over July 1
Henderson County Jailer Bruce Todd announced his resignation at Tuesday’s Henderson Fiscal Court meeting. It will be effective June 30.
Todd said the move is “perfect timing” at the end of the fiscal year and with the next starting on July 1.
“It just makes sense for a new jailer to take over,” he said.
He also cited a desire for more family time as a reason to retire. He has six grandchildren, all of them under six years old.
“They’re always wanting me to take them somewhere,” he said. “I was ready to retire.”
Henderson County Judge-Executive Brad Schneider said he will appoint Anthony Willett, who won the May 19 primary for the jailer seat to take over for the reminder of Todd’s term and then on into the term he won in the primary. He does not have a Democratic challenger in the November general election.
Todd said he will meet with Willett, along with Schneider, to discuss the Henderson County Detention Center’s plans to build a new wing to the jail that will add 100 beds, an initiative which is one of the biggest challenges awaiting the new jailer.
Todd said the addition needs to happen. “If not, it’ll end up costing us down the road,” he said.
HCDC is one of the few county jails statewide that consistently runs in the black, according to comments from both Todd and Schneider.
A past Hendersonian article said that HCDC has 464 beds. An additional 100 beds would allow the jail to hold more federal and state inmates, both of which bring in payments to the local jail from outside agencies.
Todd said at Tuesday’s meeting, the jail was holding 485 total inmates, of which 194 were federal, 127 were state and 121 were county.
With Willett taking the reins, he’ll have to bring together staff that were divided among him and fellow jail employee Eddie Vaught during their recent primary campaign for the seat.
“I don’t hold any grudges,” Willett said. “But there are going to be some changes made.”
He said he’s going to put people he can trust in key jobs. But he said that doesn’t mean people will get let go. He said during his campaign he wouldn’t fire anyone when he took over the job.
“Nobody’s getting fired,” Willett told the Hendersonian Wednesday morning. “I will not fire anyone.”
He said he’s going to keep Vaught on board. He said he’s going to give Vaught an opportunity to earn his trust.
Willett said from the get-go he wants to work on the jail’s culture and a plan to reduce recidivism that allows inmates to have jobs upon their release. He also said that he’s going to safety and security to the jail as well as more support for deputies.
Willett’s swearing in will be 8 a.m. July 1.
