Commissioners discuss prosecutor’s position with Huntsville Rotary

Randolph County Presiding Commissioner Susan Carter shows the Huntsville Rotary Club a map indicating the Missouri counties with full- and part-time prosecutors. At right is Western District Commissioner Randy Asbury.

By Janet Morales

The Randolph County Commission spoke to the Huntsville Rotary last Friday concerning the April 6 ballot issue of full-time prosecuting attorney.

Presiding Commissioner Susan Carter explained that the issue of making the position full-time can only be changed with the office of the prosecutor. Voters turned down the proposal four years ago and Carter said it would be another four years if it is not approved in April.

“We always want to know we’ve left the county in a better place when the time comes for us to leave office,” said Carter. “Making this position full-time will be a much more efficient way to monitor an office.”

If the prosecutor’s job becomes full-time, the office will lose one of the assistant prosecutors. In this way, Carter said, the position will be “cost-neutral” for the county.

“With sales tax down, we can’t ask our voters for more money,” she said.

Commissioner Randy Asbury said the county now is required to pay the prosecutor’s office a supplemental $12,500 because of the prison facility here. The county would no longer have to pay that fee if the position goes full-time.

Asbury also stressed the efficiency that would come to the office if it were approved full-time. The part-time position requires the office holder to be “dual career” which requires a split of time between county business and private practice.

“A full-time prosecutor could devote 100 percent to their prosecutorial duties,” said Asbury. “It is a lot more difficult to put a case together and to prosecute cases on a part-time basis. A full-time position would provide greater efficiency to do the job the county will need now and into the future.”

Commissioner Wayne Wilcox told the Rotarians that the three commissioners had worked together as a team and done a lot of research over the past year and spoke to other county commissioners before deciding to put the issue on the ballot.

Wilcox said making the position full-time would be a service to the public.

“They would have more time to concentrate on the business of enforcing the law and bringing people to justice,” said Wilcox.

The current compensation package for the part-time prosecutor, including retirement, worker’s compensation, insurance, etc. is $84,259. That number would increase to $133,647 for a full-time prosecutor, a difference of about $49,000, or the cost of an assistant prosecutor.

“Unlike some other areas, Randolph County is growing,” said Asbury. “We see nothing but ongoing growth so we want to take the necessary steps to keep us safe.”