THOMASVILLE — The Thomas County Commission chairman told a probation official Tuesday he realized state government is in a financial crunch, but so is county government.

Chairman Josh Herring made the remark to Glen Davis, chief probation officer for the Southern Judicial Circuit.

Davis asked commissioners to allow his office to break a lease for current probation office housing on Smith Avenue at Hansell Street.

“A decision was made to expand our service,” Davis told commissioners.

The probation office is moving to the former Diversion Center site on West Jackson Street, where the agency will add day reporting of probationers. The number of office employees will increase from a dozen to 19 or 20.

The new facility would include day reporting of alcohol and drug abusers who are on probation and would be required to get jobs.

“We need to combine probation and day reporting into that building,” Davis said.

The lease ends June 30, 2009. The state pays county government $3,340 monthly for the space. Davis asked to be released from the lease agreement when new quarters are ready in early 2009.

“I understand we have no right to that, but I’m asking that,” the probation official said.

Board Vice Chairman Moses Gross asked Davis if county space near the current probation office had been considered in the expansion. Davis did not know.

“It was politically motivated from the get-go,” Herring said. “It was one of those cases of who you know.”

Commissioner Mary Jo Beverly said she understood the creation of jobs, but money received in the lease provides relief for taxpayers. “And it’s going into the pocket of an individual who does not live in Thomas County,” Beverly added.

“A lease is a lease,” Commissioner Claud Davis said.

The probation official said his office collects “tons of money,” and the new probation facility would help collect more.

With a motion by Claud Davis to deny the request and a second by Commissioner Louis Rehberg, the board voted unanimously not to end the lease agreement early.