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Monday, January 01, 2007

Ind. Courts - Story reports several possible conflicts re LaPorte Circuit Court/City Council

Jason Miller of the Michigan City News-Dispatch had an interesting story Saturday, including the following:

Despite reservations from her new boss about representing two separate governmental entities, LaPorte County Council Attorney Krista Smith-MacClennan has asked to be re-appointed to the position.

“I told her I'd prefer she not do that, but she called me and I got several calls from council members,” LaPorte Circuit Court Judge-elect Tom Alevizos said Friday. “I'm not going to be in the middle of their affairs. If she gets it, I'll have to meet with her about how it will work. I still have some concerns.”

Alevizos said earlier in the week he'd asked Smith-MacClennan - whose full-time job is Juvenile Court Services director - to resign as council attorney because he was uncomfortable with her representing both the council and court. * * *

By resigning from her position as council attorney, Smith-MacClennan would have given up $16,000 a year in salary. She makes $42,400 per year as director of juvenile services, a position she has held under retiring Circuit Judge Robert Gilmore, whom Alevizos is succeeding.

As recently as Thursday, Alevizos felt the situation was rectified.

“I was uncomfortable with one of my employees serving as the County Council attorney because she essentially was representing one branch of government while working for mine,” Alevizos said Thursday. “It's a separation of powers situation.”

The story also reports that:
[Judge] Alevizos also will replace juvenile court magistrate Kim DeWitt with Richard Stalbrink, who currently serves as a juvenile prosecutor. He said he's making the change because DeWitt lives in Illinois.

“I don't think an Illinois resident should sit on the bench in Indiana,” Alevizos said. Stalbrink, Alevizos said, is a LaCrosse resident. His father is director of transportation for LaPorte Community Schools.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on January 1, 2007 02:47 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts