Lawrence County salary board approves broad package of position changes, many funded by grants or opioid settlement

The Lawrence County Salary Board on Dec. 15 approved a sweeping set of personnel and pay changes covering the courts, district attorney—s office, jail, the public defender—s office and multiple county departments, with most adjustments set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026.

President Judge J. Craig Cox told the board the courts— requests stem from three impending judicial swearing-ins that will trigger a domino effect in court staffing. The board adopted a series of court resolutions that create or reclassify positions, standardize pay for judicial secretaries and assistants, and authorize a joint law clerk for two courtrooms that the judge and commissioners said will reduce salary and benefit costs. "This creates [a] new part time law clerk position" to cover senior judges at a $20-per-hour stipend, Cox said, adding the Commonwealth will reimburse those costs in many instances.

The district attorney requested several office changes tied to a new collective bargaining agreement the county reached with the detectives union. District Attorney Lamacusa said the county-signed CBA (effective June 1, 2025) triggers a statutory Chiefs Act entitlement that requires parity for the chief detective, and the salary board approved a $7,500 increase retroactive to June 1. Lamacusa also outlined a reorganization of assistant district attorney roles that he said yields a net personnel savings of $3,255.88.

At the jail, the board approved multiple measures including $3,000 raises for two treatment counselors and stipends for administrative staff responding to an increased juvenile population. Commissioners approved…