Opinion ID: 1387744
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: McDowell County Prosecuting Attorney

Text: The Prosecuting Attorney of McDowell County (the prosecuting attorney) requested $166,000.00 for compensation for the employees of that office for the fiscal year 1988-89, ending June 30, 1989. The county commission appropriated $71,400.00 for compensation for the employees of the prosecuting attorney's office for the 1988-89 fiscal year. This amount was slightly in excess of fifteen percent less than the amount ($84,130.00) appropriated for such compensation for the 1987-88 fiscal year and was about twenty-two percent less than the amount ($91,639.00) appropriated for such compensation for the 1986-87 fiscal year. As stated previously, for the fiscal year 1988-89, the county commission reduced the budget appropriations for all elected county officials, other than the county commission, by about fifteen percent of the 1987-88 amounts. As earlier stated, the county commission reduced its own budget for staff compensation for 1988-89 by less than one-half of one percent of the 1987-88 amount. These budget reductions were made in the context of a depressed economy in the county during the past several years. The county commission did not consult with the prosecuting attorney prior to fixing the budget in order to ascertain the workload and operating needs of the prosecuting attorney's office. The workload and duties of that office for the year in question have been greater than for the corresponding part of the preceding year. The prosecuting attorney's staff usually consists of at least two part-time assistant prosecutors  attorneys who are permitted to engage also in the private practice of law  and three legal secretaries. As stated in the discussion of the circuit clerk's office, the county commission appropriated funds for the fiscal year 1988-89 for items other than the operation of the county offices required by the State Constitution, such as for contingent liabilities based upon pending lawsuits against the county.