Wauseon to fill law director, prosecutor jobs
2/26/2005WAUSEON - Wauseon's assistant law director, Carrie Nixon, and local attorney Eric Nagel appear likely to replace the city's longtime law director, Jeffrey Robinson, whose resignation to become a judge is effective next week.
Mayor Jerry Dehnbostel said he will call a special City Council meeting Monday to hire a city prosecutor and perhaps a law director as well.
His recommendation to council, he said, will be Ms. Nixon for law director and Mr. Nagel for prosecutor, splitting the position Mr. Robinson holds.
Ms. Nixon, who has done much of the city's prosecution work of misdemeanor cases such as driving while intoxicated, domestic violence, and theft, will not be able to continue to do so because such cases are typically heard in Fulton County's Western District Court, where Mr. Robinson will be the judge beginning Wednesday.
Mr. Robinson and Ms. Nixon are employed in the same law firm: Barber, Kaper, Stamm & Robinson.
But she can continue to advise the city on municipal law and other questions, and she is the only applicant for the Wauseon law director's position.
Mr. Dehnbostel said he wants to hire a lawyer from a Wauseon firm that employs more than one attorney to increase the likelihood that an attorney would be available whenever city leaders call.
The only other law firm in Wauseon with more than one attorney is Hallett, Hallett & Nagel.
Eric Nagel declined to be considered for the law director's job, but agreed to be considered for city prosecutor at a rate of $85 an hour, Mayor Dehnbostel said.
Mr. Robinson and his assistants typically spent 170 to 200 hours a year on prosecution work for the city, although they were paid on salary instead of by the hour. Mr. Robinson was paid $29,500 a year, his assistants Ms. Nixon and Jan Stamm were paid $7,500 each, and he was allotted $8,400 for office expenses.
Mr. Dehnbostel said a proposed salary for the new law director was still being negotiated yesterday.
Mr. Nagel became a partner in Hallett, Hallett & Nagel at the beginning of the year, immediately after his father, Roger, resigned to become full-time prosecutor for Fulton County.
Ms. Nixon has been an assistant Wauseon law director for four years.
She is solicitor for McClure in Henry County and was assistant solicitor in Delta until the end of last year.
Contact Jane Schmucker at:
jschmucker@theblade.com
or 419-337-7780.