County OKs prosecutors union concessions

Clark County officials approved an agreement Tuesday with the prosecutors union that will save the county $1.2 million, almost 7 percent, on its $19.2 million contract through the remainder of the fiscal year ending June 30.

The county is working to plug a $42 million budget gap for fiscal year 2012.

The 90-member Clark County Prosecutors Association agreed to take a 3 percent pay cut, among other concessions, after going more than two months without an agreement.

Ed Finger, assistant county manager, said attorneys also agreed to a 12-month freeze on longevity pay and a slight decrease in group health insurance benefits, including long-term disability and life insurance, and gave up two vacation days.

Tuesday was a big day for payroll cuts and collective bargaining involving county employees, as officials continued to trim spending to adapt to drooping revenues caused by the economic slump. Also discussed were nonunion pay cuts and a deal with the park police union.

Officials have been unable to reach deals with Juvenile Probation Supervisors and the Assistant Managers Association. All parties from those two groups have agreed to binding arbitration.

The prosecutors deal put an end to litigation pitting prosecutors against the County Commission.

Prosecutors are paid from $66,000 to $150,000 annually, depending on title and years of experience.

Pam Weckerly, a chief deputy district attorney and president of the union, did not return calls for comment.

District Attorney David Roger is not part of the association, but earlier this year he refused to abide by a countywide order to cut budgets by 9 percent, saying his budget was already cut to the bone and that he could not prosecute crimes if it were gutted even more.

The county averages 60,000 criminal offenses annually, which means each attorney handles more than 600 cases per year, Roger said.

Commissioners also approved an agreement with nonunion employees. Effective Oct. 1, merit increases and longevity percentage increases for nonunion employees will be suspended for one year. The total of the concessions is valued at $2.1 million.

Officials also approved a collective bargaining agreement with the 16-member Park Police Association that is expected to save the county about $39,317 over a 12-month period. Finger said the agreement includes pay freezes in the form of merit, longevity adjustments, changes to the method used to calculate overtime and an increase in group insurance premium rates for new employees hired after the date of the agreement.

It's the second set of concessions by the park police union in 13 months. The previous agreement included a 4 percent wage reduction, Finger said.

Last year, the county faced about a $100 million budget shortfall, but cost-cutting measures cut that figure almost in half.

County employees have given up a total of about $4.4 million in concessions on top of countywide 2 percent pay cuts that saved about $10 million.

Contact reporter Kristi Jourdan at kjourdan@reviewjournal.com or 702-455-4519.