Cherokee man dies in Swain jail

BY JESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR

Joseph William Lomas, 25, of Cherokee, died while being detained at the Swain County Detention Center on Aug. 28.

According to the sheriff ’s department, Lomas was found unresponsive in a holding cell around 3:50 a.m. Aug. 28.

“The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations was immediately notified and they were on scene around 4:30 a.m. for the investigation, which is normal for a death in a jail,” the sheriff stated on the agency’s Facebook page. “The District Attorney’s Office and the Jail Inspectors Office were also notified. The family was notified earlier this morning. The body has been sent for an autopsy and agents are there now to observe. This inmate was in a cell by himself with noone else in with him.”

Lomas was taken into custody Aug. 24 after being arrested for a probation violation for a DWI.

Sheriff Curtis Cochran told The Smoky Mountain Times that Lomas was kept in a holding cell so he could be treated by a nurse for what appeared to be alcohol withdrawal S TAFF WRITER unanimously to offer County Manager

Don Adams a four-year contract extension following a closed-session discussion on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Adams was hired in 2016 for an initial contract term running from Aug. 1, 2016, through July 31, 2021. The extension will take effect on Aug. 1, 2021, and continue through July 31, 2025, unless terminated sooner.

Under the contract, the board has the right Don Adams to terminate Adams’ contract at any time without cause, but in that case the county would be required to provide six months of salary, health and dental insurance following termination, in addition to payment for any accrued sick or annual leave. Those terms would not apply in the case of termination for cause. If symptoms. Detention officers are required by law to make rounds to check on inmates twice an hour or more frequently if they are suffering from a mental health crisis or are under the influence of drugs. Cochran told SMT that Lomas was sitting on a bench in the holding cell during the last rounds, which was done about 24 minutes before he was found unconscious.

According to Lomas’ obituary, he is survived by his mother, three children and three step-children in addition to other close family in Cherokee. A funeral was held on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

“Prayers for Joe’s family and his babies, this is a horribly sad situation and I pray this is a thorough investigation and not one sided, Joe was a very young, something happened that was very wrong,” said Faye McCoy on Facebook. “I have heard horror stories about that jail and some that was most disturbing from an ex DO there, how inmates are treated especially natives with medical issues, I pray this family gets the answers they deserve.”

The Smoky Mountain News requested a copy of the autopsy report, but had not

Jackson County manager receives fouryear contract extension

BY HOLLY KAYS

Jackson County Commissioners voted

received it by press time Tuesday. Adams chooses to break the contract early, he must give the board at least 60 days’ written notice.

The new contract is a “mirror” of the original, Chairman Brian McMahan said in open session prior to the vote. It is the same as the original except for omission of the section on moving expenses contained in the original and the absence of a previously included section outlining the process for Adams’ yearly performance evaluation. McMahan said that the board still plans to conduct an annual performance evaluation but decided the evaluation schedule did not belong the in the contract itself.

The initial contract stipulated an annual base salary of $125,010, with Adams receiving any annual increment, cost of living, bonus or merit increases provided to all regular full-time county employees. At the end of the 2019-2020 fiscal year, Adams was drawing a salary of $135,315, the third-highest among managers for the four counties in The Smoky Mountain News’ coverage area. Haywood County Manager Bryant Morehead makes $150,118, Macon County Manager Derek Rowland makes $140,000 and Swain County Manager Kevin King makes $98,261.

Prior to his arrival in Jackson County, Adams spent 19 years as the county manager for Alleghany County.

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