County attorney makes plea for deputy attorney funding

WORLAND – Washakie County Attorney John Worrall went over budget reductions and made his case to keep the deputy attorney position in the upcoming fiscal year budget with the Washakie County Commissioners on Tuesday morning.

Worrall made a total of $4,000 in reductions out of the $193,092 County Attorney Office budget and said, “It looks higher because of the full-time deputy salary in there and it is, but I’ve tried to cut that elsewhere.”

The $4,000 reductions were $2,500 out of trial costs and $1,500 on cancelling a law database.

Worrall then went over the amount of cases filed in 2015 according to a Supreme Court workload study and Judge Robert Skar was present to verify the need Worrall faces in court.

Worrall said in 2015 he handled 624 cases by himself and a deputy county attorney position would make him more efficient and free up his time more so he could do more work for county officials.

“I know John’s busy … there’s too many things that have to be done and the juvenile cases take the most of our time,” Skar said.

Washakie County Commissioner Chairman Aaron Anderson said, “We do face some challenges, but … I will do my best to try to keep that (deputy county attorney position) in there.”

Commissioner Terry Wolf asked Worrall if he started advertising for the position and Worrall said he placed an ad with the Wyoming State Bar on Monday.

Homeland Security Director Mike Orona gave the commissioners general updates on his appointment status from the state and Homeland Security building updates.

“I haven’t heard anything on (the) state appointment, on (the) background check or orientation,” Orona said. He added he completed another two classes.

Orona said he picked up furniture for the new Emergency Management Agency office building and started organizing the radio room.

—Amanda Heinemeyer with Public Health gave updates on a new grant she is writing for Family Planning.

Heinemeyer told the commissioner she is the process of writing a grant for Family Planning to encourage more people to get HIV/AIDS tests.

“Anyone who comes in and gets tested could win a free iPad,” Heinemeyer said of the new grant she is currently writing for.

—Other business included an approved a motion to transfer funds to Youth Alternatives.

Youth Alternatives was awarded a $5,000 grant from the State of Wyoming for a Juvenile Justice program.

During yesterday’s Washakie County commissioners meeting, there was be a budget hearing, and the county transferred $5,000 to Youth Alternatives and the state will reimburse the county for it later on.

Youth Alternatives Director Sarah Garcia said the juvenile justice grant is an extension of a grant they already get and it is an “overview of where we are at with our youth right now.”