Commissioners remove director of South Bend halfway house
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The St. Joseph County Commissioners on Friday announced Sharon McBride has been fired as director of the DuComb Center, a residential correctional facility in South Bend.
The move comes amid an investigation launched by the commissioners earlier in the week into a series of allegations, including staffing issues, overtime abuse, and improper financial transactions.
McBride, who is also a member of the South Bend City Council, came under fire after questions arose regarding the six-figure salary of the center’s kitchen director, Delores Walker, who is also McBride’s mother.
McBride, along with DuComb Center board member Rafael Morton, said Walker’s $105,000 salary in 2023 was primarily due to overtime hours. Morton noted that Walker sometimes worked up to 20 hours in a day in order to keep the center operating legally.
“The fact that it houses both male and female, there has to be at least one male and one female employee that is present at all times. Now, that calls for a lot of overtime,” he told our partners at Fox Michiana.
McBride, for her part, called the questioning last Wednesday a “witch hunt” and a “public shaming,” saying the commissioners provided no evidence of wrongdoing.
In a news release issued Friday, the commissioners said McBride’s removal “comes on the heel of a comprehensive internal investigation at DuComb Center aimed at ensuring the continued delivery of the highest quality services to our community and the individuals served by the center.”
The commissioners named Julie Lawson as interim director of the DuComb Center, effective immediately. Lawson has served as program manager at the facility for the past two years.
“The ongoing internal investigation at DuComb Center underscores our unwavering commitment to accountability, transparency, and the delivery of exceptional services to those aided by the center,” the commissioners said. “We are dedicated to addressing any issues identified during this process swiftly and effectively, ensuring that the DuComb Center continues to serve as a beacon of support for individuals and families throughout St. Joseph County.”
A timeline for completion of the commissioners’ investigation was not provided.
The Ducomb Center was established in 1982 as one of the first work release facilities in the state. Located near South Bend International Airport, the residential correctional facility supervises more than 600 individuals annually, according to the county.