MANSFIELD — Richland County Prosecutor Gary Bishop on Tuesday asked county commissioners for additional funds to help stop his office from acting as a “revolving door” for young attorneys.
The county’s top lawyer, during a 2022 budget hearing, asked for at least another $200,000 to be added to his submitted budget of $2,175,072.
Bishop said his office has experienced frequent turnover among his attorneys and other professional staff members. He said he will provide a formal, updated budget request next week.
Commissioners, who took no action on the request Tuesday, are in the process of conducting budget hearings with all of the county departments. They plan to have a 2022 budget finalized by the end of the year.
The list of those leaving the prosecutor’s office includes the chief of his civil division, Andrew Keller, who was announced five days ago as the county’s new administrator, working directly for commissioners.
Bishop said the additional funds will allow him to hire an experienced trial attorney, create a new position for another attorney, hire an additional in-house investigator and give pay increases to members of his office.
“Are we going to say to the public that the prosecutor’s office is just a revolving door?” said Bishop, who has practiced law for 34 years. “Are we going to keep paying salaries that attract people who just passed the bar exam?
“It doesn’t need to be said that the work that goes on inside the prosecutor’s office going after felons, child rapists, cold-blooded killers and major drug traffickers is important work,” said Bishop, elected as the county prosecutor in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
In addition to criminal case work, Bishop said his office is the official legal advisor for county and township government offices.
“What can we do to attract, hire and then retain experienced, skilled, trained and dedicated professionals to do this important work?” Bishop asked. “We need to pay them a wage that will attract them here and then make them want to stay here.”
The prosecutor credited commissioners with making “tough budget decisions” and said he understands the need to invest in infrastructure improvements, including a fourth court room, a new meeting room for grand juries and a new clerk of courts office.
Bishop said he also understands commissioners are in the process of doing wage scale studies in various county offices.
“I am asking for money now because I need to fill vacancies,” he said. “I need to stop the turnover. I have people leaving who have a decade of experience in adult, felony criminal cases being lured away to a law director’s office or other counties supervising juvenile decisions for more money.
“I will gladly sacrifice a new grand jury meeting room for another employee,” Bishop said.
Commissioner Tony Vero said the wage scale process would take three to six months.
“If it comes back that your (employees) are low, there is nothing that says we have to wait until next year’s budget to fix it. We will work with you. That’s the commitment we made,” Vero said.
