A backlog of drug cases in Ellis County will only get worse, due to a shortage of prosecutors in the Ellis County Attorney’s office.
With regret, the Ellis County Commission Monday evening denied a request from County Attorney Tom Drees to add a fifth full-time attorney to his office.
“I believe what Tom says is absolutely accurate. I believe he could sure use another attorney,” said Commissioner Butch Schlyer during the commission’s regular meeting on Monday evening.
Then he addressed Drees.
“I think since you were on the agenda the first time, it’s been impressed upon me even more that the county’s financial situation is just really, really bad,” Schlyer said. “Your timing on this is just atrocious.”
Drees in late February asked the commissioners to upgrade an existing part-time position to full-time, a $35,000 expense. Voicing support at that same meeting were law enforcement and court services professionals who echoed the need.
After being denied Monday evening, Drees acknowledged some cases aren’t getting prosecuted, sometimes when the clock runs out on time to file them.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)