Judge blocks Frank White from interfering in management of COMBAT anti-drug agency

A judge has issued an order temporarily banning Jackson County Executive Frank White and others in his administration from interfering in the management of the county-wide anti-drug and anti-violence agency known as COMBAT.

White has refused to cede control of the agency and its nearly $20 million budget since the county legislature transferred authority to Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker last month.

Citing the opinions of legal advisers, White said the legislature’s action was unlawful and blocked Baker from taking charge.

Both she and the legislature, however, maintained that White was out of bounds and had a duty to follow the ordinance and a lawsuit was his only course of action.

When he didn’t seek a court ruling on the legality of the transfer, the legislature filed a court action late Tuesday. Then on Friday afternoon, Jackson County District Judge George E. Wolf ordered White and his staff to keep their hands off COMBAT funds and not interfere with Peters’ management of the agency for the time being. White has until Feb. 2 to file his legal arguments.

The dispute is among a host of disagreements between the executive and legislative branches of county government that have arisen since last fall.

This story was originally published January 20, 2018 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Judge blocks Frank White from interfering in management of COMBAT anti-drug agency."