After more than two decades of waiting, Oconto County has secured state funding to expand its assistant district attorney position from half time to full time. A biennial budget signed June 30 by Gov. Scott Walker includes $77,800 for a 0.5 full-time-equivalent assistant position.
Robert Mraz, Oconto County ADA for 32 years, has decided to move to full-time work. Funding for the position takes effect July 14.
Before the full-time position was approved, Mraz divided his time between the positions of ADA and county corporation counsel. The corporation counsel prosecutes and defends civil actions involving the county, advises the County Board and all departments, and reviews and drafts contracts, resolutions, ordinances and county code revisions.
The county will shop for a new corporation counsel.
County Board Chairman Lee Rymer called the move to a full-time ADA a “pleasant surprise.” He said the county’s district attorneys, judges and supervisors have long asked for the change. County supervisors met with state legislators in October and asked for support of the additional funding, but Walker’s initial budget proposal released in February did not include the expanded position.
Rep. Jeff Mursau sent a letter detailing Oconto County’s needs and available funding options to the Joint Finance Committee on May 13. He said he was pleased with the response.
“I’m pleased Gov. Walker agreed to approve my request to fully fund Oconto County’s assistant district attorney,” Mursau said in a statement. “A fully funded ADA will provide better services to Oconto County residents and victims of crime.”
“It will give the DA’s office the staffing they need to properly prosecute people,” said Oconto County Administrative Coordinator Kevin Hamann.
With a half-time position, Oconto County had one DA/ADA per 25,107 residents, while the state average is one for every 12,919 residents, according to statistics provided by Oconto County. On a per capita basis, this placed Oconto County 68th out of 71 counties that provide prosecutors.
In addition, Oconto County was the only county in the state with more judges (two) than prosecutors (1.5 full-time equivalent).
District Attorney Ed Burke predicted little change for the department, saying Mraz worked almost full-time hours as an ADA. However, the caseload will change for the two prosecutors.
“I’m hoping we can cross over more in the types of cases we’re taking. Basically, I handle all of the criminal stuff, and Bob handles the criminal traffic and the crimes related to traffic stops,” Burke said.
According to department records, in the first six months of 2013, the district attorney’s office received 524 referrals from law enforcement; 346 were filed with the court.
“I don’t have anything that is waiting to be charged—there’s still a couple cases under review—but once you charge, that’s when the real work starts,” Burke said.
He said the county has requested the expanded position since 1989, and he was pleased to finally have funding approved.
“We’ll have to see how it’s going to go. We never had a full-time ADA,” he said.
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