State’s Attorney Paul Lewis will go to a full-time position at the beginning of 2019, reflecting an increase in the criminal caseload in Moody County.
County commissioners approved the change from part-time to full at the Dec. 4 meeting. Lewis will earn $95,000 a year.
Lewis said that while the job requires at least 40 hours a week, going to full-time status was something he had to think about. He will give up his private practice clients and will no longer be the city of Flandreau’s lawyer.
“It was tough decision. I really enjoy the clients I work with. I enjoy the diversity,” he said of the work. He will continue to be part of the Bruning & Lewis firm but will be listed “on counsel,” a status in which his name will be on the letterhead but he will not take cases.
As part-time state’s attorney he was paid for 21 hours a week. He ended up working much more. “I don’t think I’ve worked less than 40 hours a week at this job.”
Lewis, 39, has been the county part-time state’s attorney since January 2013. When he filled in as state’s attorney in Lake County this year for a time, he realized that Moody County’s caseload is on par for needing a full-time state’s attorney position, and it’s growing.
As of Dec. 4, the county had 362 criminal cases compared with 275 by Christmas last year. The increase is mostly in drug cases, he said.
Lewis will continue through the year with the city of Flandreau, after having been appointed by Mayor Mark Bonrud. “It was an honor to serve the city of Flandreau,” Lewis said.
In other county business,
•The state has approved naming the bridge over the Big Sioux River on Interstate 29 after Moody County Deputy Bill Davis, 54, who was killed in 2003 in an accident at that location during bad weather. The county, at the urging of resident Tony Firman, had applied to name the bridge after Davis, who spent 21 years in law enforcement.
•Commissioners gave county support to a group of volunteers who want to plan a bike/pedestrian path that connects Flandreau from the park east of town to the west entrance.
“They haven’t finalized any plans,” said Commissioner Carla Bruning. “They just want us to be on board.”
•Commissioners will hold a hearing at the Dec. 18 meeting over conditions that were put on Bernie Opland for his salvage business west of Flandreau. On Aug. 21, Opland was given 60 days to clean up his property so that scrap and other items were out of the right-of-way and the township road. He also was required to have fencing in place that would prevent people from seeing the salvage operation.
“It appears as if there’s been nothing changed out there,” said Kendra Eng, planning and zoning deputy. She has visited the property several times since the requirements were put in place for Opland to be in compliance with his permit.
•Highway Superintendent Marc Blum updated commissioners on the progress on bridges being repaired in the county. Workers have poured bases on the concrete box culvert style Doyle Bridge east of Flandreau and continue to work on the project.
The Gullickson Bridge west of town is now open.
•The county will end up answering 600 ambulance calls this year, said Marty Skroch, assistant to the commissioners and human resources director. The ambulance is being used more for transfers to facilities outside of the county, which the county is reimbursed for.
•Commissioners went over county expenses with Auditor Kristina Krull as the end of year approaches. Bills for the Ward Road bridge, which was budgeted this year, will likely come in next year, she said. As a result, commissioners will have to do a contingency transfer but the money to pay is available, she said.
•The Sheriff’s Department will hire Kimberly Laframbois as a dispatcher for $15.48 an hour to fill an opening. She will start Dec 17 and is certified and has experience working in Mobridge.
