CLEVELAND, Ohio — Following contentious debate over sheriff’s overtime spending and other budgeting mishaps, Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne sought to transfer the sheriff’s fiscal operations under his central fiscal office, but a new legal opinion from the county prosecutor’s office suggests he does not have the power to do so.

The opinion, issued Friday, says that while the county executive oversees most county departments, the charter grants the sheriff independent control over the administration of his own office and his employees. Ronayne cannot unilaterally force the sheriff’s fiscal team to transfer their functions or reassign staff to the county’s main office without the sheriff’s agreement, it concludes.

“The County Fiscal Officer does not possess the authority to contro

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