Commissioners reject pay leveler plan

County commissioners have denied a request to use money from a court victim’s fund to equalize pay levels for employees in the prosecutor’s office. The request from the prosecutor would have bolstered the pay of a victim witness assistant whose pay level is locked under terms of a state grant.

Prosecutor Denis Tracy explained his office’s victim witness assistant position is completely funded by the state grant.

Tracy said when he hires someone, he has the discretion to hire within the county’s first four pay steps. The state grant covered up to the county’s third pay step level and the person was hired at that level.

However, when a legal secretary position opened several months later, that person was hired at a step higher than the victim witness assistant who wondered why she was getting less pay.

“I was thinking about it, and came up with a way that wouldn’t cost the county any money,” Tracy said.

Under state statute, each county prosecutor’s office has a victims’ witness fund which is collected from court fines. Tracy said the fund is used to encourage and facilitate the testimony of witnesses and victims of crimes, to assist victims as they make their their way through the criminal court process and to get restitution for any damages.

“Over time, it added up, so I thought I could use part of that fund to pay the position $50 a month. That was my request,” Tracy said.

In a letter to Tracy, the commissioners said they discussed the request on three different occasions and also consulted human resources and Tracy.

“Approving the prosecutor’s request would grant an additional step on the salary matrix outside of current county policy and set a precedent for additional funding requests outside policy parameters,” the commissioners’ letter said.

“While the commissioners appreciate the prosecutor’s inquiry, and have the utmost respect for the victim witness specialist, the board has decided to deny the request. The board is willing to reconsider its decision if additional factors not previously presented are brought forward.”

Tracy said he understands the commissioners’ decision.

“I understand the county’s reluctance to make an adjustment to the county’s pay policy, but I thought it was warranted in this situation,” he said. “I respect their decision. It’s not a big source of friction between me and the commissioners. We just have different points of view.”