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Merrimack County commissioners approve 10% increase for contracted prosecution services after debate
Summary
The Board approved a 10% increase to fees charged to 18 towns for county prosecution services; commissioners debated the size of the subsidy, the history of past increases and whether a per-town/prorated approach would be fairer.
MERRIMACK COUNTY — The Merrimack County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a 10% increase to fees charged to 18 towns for county prosecution services after more than an hour of questions and debate about subsidy levels and alternatives.
County Attorney Paul Helvorsen told the board the county prosecutes misdemeanors for 18 towns and currently receives about $96,000 a year from those municipalities for three prosecutors. "My recommendation is a 10% increase," Helvorsen said, presenting an attachment showing the projected impact on each town.
The proposal prompted sustained discussion among commissioners about fairness across towns with uneven case loads, how much the county is effectively subsidizing small towns, and whether some…
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