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Muskegon County accepts FY25 state grant and approves one prosecutor, victim-rights coordinator
Summary
The Muskegon County Board of Commissioners authorized the prosecutor to accept a FY25 state grant of $14,330.13 and approved adding one assistant prosecutor position and one full-time crime victims' rights coordinator, with the board voting in favor by roll call.
MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Muskegon County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 16 authorized the county prosecutor to accept a FY25 state grant of $14,330.13 and approved adding one assistant prosecutor position and one full-time crime victims' rights coordinator to the county payroll, with the board recording a 7-0 roll-call vote on the grant and later unanimously carrying the staffing and budget-adjustment motion.
The move follows a state effort to address caseload parity between public defenders and prosecutors. Tim Motley of the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office told commissioners the allocation is part of a broader, multi-year state program to fund additional prosecutorial staffing and reduce caseload imbalances noted by the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC).
Motley said the MIDC recommended 29 lawyer positions for Muskegon County and that the prosecutor’s office has historically sought parity with public defenders because the office handles a broader range of cases. “We are asking you to move it up from 21 prosecutors to 22,” Motley said, adding that the county is not requesting the full 34-plus positions the MIDC recommended. “And this is gonna be paid entirely by the state.”
Motley described prior state support: Muskegon County previously received an allotment totaling roughly $1 million, delivered in two consecutive years, and the office has spent “a little bit over $600,000” of those state funds to date. He told the board the office will be fiscally conservative with the allocation and pledged that “if, for whatever reason, we don't need it, we won't spend it, and we will return it back to Lansing.”
The agenda item authorized the county administrative finance director to sign the grant documents. Commissioners moved and supported the grant acceptance and then approved a separate motion to add one assistant prosecutor (wage grade AP) and one full-time crime victims' rights coordinator (wage grade 7), with budget adjustments and step placement based on experience.
Discussion at the meeting focused on the caseload rationale, parity with public defenders and the source of funding. Motley emphasized that the requested hires are intended to incrementally address workload and that the state funds cover the proposed positions. No member of the public spoke on the item during the recorded discussion.
Action summary: the board authorized acceptance of the FY25 grant in the amount of $14,330.13 (roll-call vote recorded as 7 yes) and approved the staffing additions and budget adjustments (motion carried unanimously).
