COLUMBIANA CO. Staffing shortage produces challenge

Although the situation poses a problem, it's not serious enough to demand more funding.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- The Columbiana County prosecutor's office is understaffed, which is forcing some area law enforcement agencies to handle additional tasks.
"We're shorthanded," Prosecutor Bob Herron said recently. But that isn't stopping his office from doing its job of prosecuting crime, Herron added.
"We're just trying to work through it," Herron said. "Our door is going to be open, and we're going to be operating," he added.
Vacant positions: The county's fiscal problems have left the prosecutor's office unable to fill vacancies created through attrition over the past year or so, Herron explained.
Right now the office is short one assistant prosecutor, leaving it with nine assistants.
It's also short an investigator, leaving two on staff. A secretary also is missing on the employee roster, which currently lists five secretaries.
The shortage has put a strain on the office. But Herron said it's not serious enough to go to county commissioners and demand more money, especially given the county's tight finances.
The office requested $841,000 for 2002 funding. But it received only $770,000.
Not enough money: Commissioners have said there is not enough revenue coming into the county to pay bills and fully fund departmental requests.
They have placed an issue on the May 7 primary ballot that would increase the 1 percent county sales tax to 1.5 percent. The increase would bring about $3 million more annually into the county budget.
To deal with its staff shortage, the prosecutor's office has for months required area police agencies to write up their own criminal complaints when they arrest someone.
Previously, an assistant prosecutor wrote complaints for many of the county's law enforcement agencies. The complaints are used to formally charge someone with a crime.
Poses problems: Herron acknowledged the new procedure is problematic for smaller agencies.
"They're not happy about it. But it's working," Herron said.
"It's a pain in the rump," Ray Stone, Perry Township police chief, said.
The small department frequently has only one officer on staff. If he's in the office working on a complaint, he can't be out patrolling, Stone said.
For larger agencies, the new procedure has had little impact.
Keeping up: Sheriff Dave Smith said his department is handling the complaint-writing task well, though his staff may still consult with the prosecutor's office when a more complex crime or charge is involved.
"We double-check, and make sure everything's done correctly," Smith said.
"It's not a hardship for us," said Leetonia Police Chief John Soldano.
Soldano noted that his department has typically written up its own complaints in the past.