The Carroll County Council met in special session to discuss and ultimately fund, new positions for the Prosecutor’s Office to address work needed for the double homicide murder case. Council members present at the meeting, Tim Radcliff, Josh Plue, Paul Rider and Lawrence “Doc” Stauffer, also voted to give a $5,000 raise to a current employee in the office.
Prosecutor Nick McLeland told the Council that he is ready to hire additional employees to work on the case. The Council previously approved an additional appropriation for $2.1 million and dedicated that amount to the case. McLeland said he needed to hire another secretary, an investigator and a special prosecutor.
McLeland said he will bring on former Tippecanoe County Prosecutor John Myers, who has been working sporadically in the department, as the special prosecutor. It was decided Myers will be a contracted employee and paid an hourly wage, which will be guided by the Indiana Code. Myers will also receive mileage for travel but he will not work full-time. McLeland said when he is able to work in the office and perform his usual duties, Myers will not be working. However, the Prosecutor said he is spending time at the investigative center on N. 9th St. in Delphi, working on the case. He said his time will increase there as the start of the trial nears and Myers will then be utilized in the courthouse office.
An additional investigator will be hired for $25.25 an hour and will work 40 hours. McLeland said current investigator Steve Mullin makes $52,524 and is directly involved in the case. The new investigator will make the same as Mullin.
McLeland said he needs an additional secretary and he wants one who is experienced and knows the job. He said there is no time for training. He said he has talked to a person who he believes would be interested in the job, but she will not consider it unless she makes roughly $40,000. The current secretary in the office is paid $22.31 an hour. He said the new secretary would need to make roughly $5,000 annually than what is currently being paid.
McLeland said he believes the current secretary and the new secretary should be paid the same amount given they will be working from the same job description, although the new hire’s position is considered temporary.
It was decided by unanimous vote that the new secretary and the current secretary will make $46,763 each. Radcliff, who is the president of the County Council, indicated the raise in pay for the current employee should not be seen as a signal to other employees that the Council is willing to increase wages for others before the 2024 budget is developed.
In addition, McLeland requested the salaries of himself and Deputy Prosecutor Shane Evans be increased by $5,000. He said the two are working extra hours to prepare for the trial. This request was taken under advisement until the full Council is in session.
The County Council will meet Thursday, Feb. 16, beginning at 10 a.m. in Room 209 in the courthouse.
Radcliff told the Comet after the meeting, salaries which are increased for the trial will not likely be reduced after the trial ends. He said all pay raises will be based on the new wages.
The recorded video of this meeting can be found on YouTube on the “Debbie Lowe” channel.