Some have erroneously taken issue with the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office over suits.
This time, it’s not lawsuits beings discussed, but suits worn by prosecutors in court.
Last month, during county budget meetings, Central Services Director Steve Walton questioned Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer’s request for $5,000 for suits worn in court by attorneys representing the county.
Meyer defended the request, noting others in the county are allocated money for uniforms, including employees of the sheriff’s office.
As a result of the discussion, a member of a citizens advisory committee appointed by the commissioners pursued a solution. He asked the Men’s Wearhouse if it would consider donating the suits to the prosecutor’s office, and the company reportedly responded that it would.
Mitchel Townsend said he was thinking outside the box in order to help address a tight county budget that commissioners are seeking to pass without the use of reserves, which they have relied on in past years.
The story quickly began making the rounds on social media, with many critical of the prosecutor’s office for requesting the suits to begin with, and some noting other employees are required to dress appropriately for work without a similar allowance.
Lost in the online discussion is the reality that the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office must compete against both the private sector and other counties, many of which tend to offer more money, in order to attract quality attorneys to work in the office.
A $5,000 allowance for suits is not even a drop in the bucket when it comes to the overall county budget. It is, however, a small perk that can be offered as a benefit to attorneys who decide to bring their talents and experiences to Lewis County.
Criticism of government spending is fair, as is the opinion that the county should not be purchasing the suits to begin with.
Still, it’s worth noting that Meyer has saved the county money during his time as prosecutor. He estimates he has either returned to county coffers or helped save more than $2 million since his election in 2010.
Over that time, he’s proven his office’s ability to reach positive conclusions in criminal cases without costly and often unnecessary trials that had been the mode of operation for his predecessor, Michael Golden. He’s also provided efficient representation for the commissioners, who have at times created difficult situations for the county, ranging from hostile work complaints from former clerks for the commissioners to apparent violations of the Open Public Meetings Act.
“I jealously guard the money that the taxpayers entrust to me,” Meyer said last month. “I’m not going to spend a dime more than I need to but I need to have quality people. I need to keep quality people and I need to make sure we have the ability to prosecute the cases that come before us.”
In the end, the kerfuffle over the suits is much ado about nothing.
It’s less a story about government waste and more of an example of a citizen pursuing a solution to a problem and an elected official taking a small step to attract and retain talented attorneys to his office amid a tight budget.
