Judge Todd Hands Down Bigley – 6-8-2006

COURT HOUSE – Acting Superior Court Assignment Judge William C. Todd III June 8 handed down a 36-page opinion in the Bigley application of County Prosecutor Robert Taylor for freeholders to increase salaries in his office. The ruling gave assistant prosecutors 9 percent increases retroactive to Jan. 1, a half-dozen “management” personnel 6 percent retroactive to Jan 1, and bumped Chief of Detectives James Rybicki and First Assistant Prosecutor J. David Meyer 6 and 12 percent, respectively. County Administrator Steve O’Connor said he was pleased that none of the five multi-year contracts, except assistant prosecutors, was changed. He said Taylor had asked for a quarter of a million dollars in increased staff pay and received $65,000. Taylor said he was pleased with increases to nonunion employes and assistant prosecutors, but disappointed there was nothing for union (contract) employes. He said the judge indicated it was “appropriate” for Taylor to make the requests and “invited” future Bigley applications. Neither O’Connor nor Taylor could say whether the opinion would be accepted or appealed. Full story in the Herald next week.