Councilwoman under investigation for paying her mother $105,000 as cook at Ducomb Cntr. — Mother is 5th highest paid county employee

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The St. Joseph County Commissioners have launched an investigation into questionable financial issues regarding expenditures at St. Joseph County’s Community Corrections facility known as the Ducomb Center. It turns out, Ducomb Center Director Sharon McBride, who is also the elected Councilwoman for South Bend Common Council District 3, has been paying her own mother, Delores Walker, more than $105,000 per year to work as a cook at the facility. Walker is currently the 5th highest paid employee in the county. Her official title is “Kitchen Director”.

The issues started came to light during a Commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday morning in which the Commissioners called on McBride to answer several questions regarding expenditures and contracts. McBride brought an attorney with her and also mobilized dozens of members of the local NAACP chapter to sit in the crowd. Multiple members of the NAACP spent the entire meeting heckling the Commissioners and their attorneys as they attempted to get to the bottom of what could be massive government fraud.

“This is a personnel issue and should be done in private.” McBride, who has been the director of the facility for 14-years, stated.

McBride also claimed the Commissioners were attacking her because she is a black woman, to which she got a massive cheer from the dozens members and supporters of the NAACP.

McBride attempted to claim her own mother was being paid a hefty salary due to overtime issues that are unavoidable. She claimed the facility needs to have a female on site 24/7 and she cannot hire and retain female staff.

It’s unclear where the investigation is headed and if it could be turned over to law enforcement or the prosecutor’s office for criminal charges.

RNM is working with several sources to get more details on issues regarding potential ghost employment, personal expenditures on the taxpayer dollar and more.

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