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St. Francois County commissioners authorize new assistant prosecutor position with top salary of $85,000
Summary
Commissioners approved creating an additional assistant prosecuting attorney position funded partly by law-enforcement restitution and cuts to part-time staff, citing increased caseloads after a new circuit judge was added.
St. Francois County commissioners voted to authorize a new assistant prosecuting attorney position with a starting-to-top salary range up to $85,000 and related benefits, funding the role in part by eliminating two part-time positions and using law enforcement restitution funds.
Prosecuting Attorney Blake Dudley described the change as a response to heavier caseloads and the recent addition of a circuit judge and an expected new courthouse. "We were asking for a new position... we had obtained some funding from law enforcement restitution fund," Dudley said, adding the office planned to reduce two part-time positions and supplement with loan-fund money. He told commissioners that comparable counties use roughly one assistant prosecutor per 7,000 people; "In our county, we have 1 assistant prosecutor for 14,000 people."
Dudley said the office would offer a salary up to $85,000 to recruit a mid-level attorney with courtroom experience. He also said the county's budgeted starting amount for prosecutors was previously about $54,000 and that competitive starting salaries elsewhere were already in the mid-$60,000 range. Dudley estimated the total wage-and-benefits cost for the new hire at about $111,000 at the top salary point.
Commissioners discussed operational impacts, including courtroom scheduling and whether the county marshal and other circuit resources could absorb the increased trial days. Dudley said the position would be county-specific: "But this attorney will only work for our county. That's correct." The new circuit judge posting had just opened, he said, and additional judges and courtrooms would drive more trial dates.
A motion to authorize the position, including overriding the existing CBIS pay range for this hire, was made and seconded and carried by voice vote. The transcript records the motion and subsequent "All in favor, aye," but does not list a roll-call tally.
The hire is to be funded by a combination of law enforcement restitution funds and reductions in existing part-time staffing; commissioners said they may revisit broader pay adjustments for other prosecutors in future meetings.
Dudley and commissioners framed the step as addressing immediate courtroom capacity and workload pressure rather than a long-term across-the-board pay change.
