County 'public defender' signed to 4-year contract

Tuesday, April 25, 2017
Ryan Wilcox

McCOOK, Neb. — The McCook attorney who serves as a public defender for Red Willow County will get a raise to $72,000 annually in a new four-year contract approved by county commissioners Monday morning.

Commission chairman Earl McNutt thought the $12,000 request was “a pretty good increase all at once,” and agreed to it only after Wilcox agreed to lock it in for four, not five, years.

Wilcox told commissioners that his case load has increased dramatically, particularly district court and child support cases.

Wilcox hasn’t had an adjustment in his contract in more than six years. He started in 2003 at $50,000 a year, and has been paid $60,000 for about six years.

Wilcox works all the appointed cases for Red Willow County, including emergency protective custody cases, juvenile criminal, county court criminal, district court criminal and child support cases. He said he isn’t really a “public defender,” because that’s an elected position, but he is contracted to do all the county’s appointed cases on a first come basis. He said there are only two other attorneys in McCook who can be appointed.

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Commissioners accepted four bids for a concrete box culvert to replace a bridge near Lebanon: Simon Contractors of North Platte, $198,170; Walz Inc., Valentine, $215,762; Saul-Ramos of Shelton, $133,572.75; and Midlands Contracting, Kearney $161,837.90.

Gary Dicenta, the county’s road superintendent, will review the bids over the next week and return with a recommendation at the commissioners’ May 1 meeting.

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In other action, commissioners listened to a presentation from Northwestern Mutual in regard to county employee health insurance; authorized an oversized load permit; and, acting as a board of equalization, accepted tax roll corrections from county treasurer Sue Wesch.

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