Gordon Shane McNeill, an assistant prosecutor in the 1990’s and Barry County Prosecuting Attorney from 2000 to 2005 is one of 10 attorneys named to the staff of the Indigent Defense Council by Chief Public Defender Kerri Selleck.

 

Last week, she asked the Barry County Commission committee of the whole to approve contracts for the 10, including their base pay (see list). The vote to recommend approval was 6-1, with Commissioner Jon Smelker voting no. He said there was one person he did not want on the list, not giving a name.

 

Tuesday, the full board considered the recommendation. During discussion, Smelker said he would vote no and had no more to add to last week’s comment. Commissioner Howard “Hoot” Gibson said he had two calls from constituents objecting to McNeill being on the staff and Commissioner Vivian Conner said she would vote no, later confirming she was objecting to McNeill.

 

Commissioner Ben Geiger reminded the board they had unanimously chosen Selleck to head the department.  “I believe we should support her and let her choose her team…I don’t see this as the board of commissioners choosing who her teammates are; the question is do we trust her judgement, and I do.”

 

The vote was a 3-3 tie with Commissioner David Jackson absent, meaning it failed. Smelker, Gibson and Conner voted against, Geiger, Commissioner Dan Parker and Commissioner/Chair Heather Wing voted to approve. Geiger immediately asked for reconsideration of the vote, to table the question until the board had all seven members present to vote. The motion passed unanimously.

 

Selleck, who was at the meeting, said she had no comment. McNeill couldn’t be reached for comment.

 

Later, Conner explained her vote. “It isn’t about Kerri at all; it’s about protecting Barry County. I remember the controversy McNeill generated when he was prosecutor, his general demeanor, trying his cases in the press, the letters he wrote; he could prove to be very controversial for Barry County.”  When a group of people threatened to recall him, he resigned, she said. “In his letter of resignation, he said he was resigning to protect his family…that’s my line of thought. Barry County is not my family, but I’m trying to protect it. He is an intelligent attorney; he knows the law and is a good businessman. It’s what he could bring to Barry County. I don’t want to go down that path again.”

 

Geiger also added a comment later. "The board doesn't meddle in choosing assistant prosecutors. The board doesn't meddle in choosing deputy sheriffs. I'm disappointed politics got involved with choosing our public defender's team. We should stand behind her," he said.

 

Speakers during public comment also were divided; Sharon Zebrowski said it was Selleck’s decision to make and she had made it. “If there are problems down the line, they’re her problems.” Selleck is in charge, it was her job to pick a staff, not the commissioners and they should, “let her do her job,” she said.

 

Elden Shellenbarger said McNeill was a “loose cannon” and recommended that he be removed from the list. “He is not an outstanding person in my opinion,” he said.

 

Indigent defense attorneys and their annual base pay:

Jackie Baker Sturgis, $33,800; Carol Dwyer, $39,000; Shane Henry, $26,000; Kristen Hoel, $36,400; James Kinney, $39,000; Gordon Shane McNeill, $26,000; Ronald Pierce, $26,000; Kathryn Russell, $39,000; Steven Storrs, $26,000  and Kimberly Young, $33,800.