(Spirit Lake)– Longtime Dickinson County Attorney Jon Martin will be stepping down from the position at the end of the year. Martin announced at today’s (Tues.) Dickinson County Board of Supervisors meeting he’ll be retiring after some 38 years either as head County Attorney or Assistant County Attorney. He says there’s a lot he’s going to miss about the job…
“We work with the police a lot and I’m going to miss that. I’m going to miss what I refer to as wearing the white hat, but I enjoyed being a prosecutor and the people who work in the courthouse I’m going to miss a lot.”
Martin says a lot has changed in the office over the years he’s been there, especially when it comes to the size of the caseload…
“The county is growing and unfortunately when that happens also crime grows and we just stay very, very busy. We have eight police agencies and there’s two people who prosecute cases and it’s a very big caseload.”
Martin says the supervisors have two options under Iowa Code when it comes to filling the vacancy…
“They can set a special election to fill the vacancy or they can appoint someone to fill the vacancy and give notice to the voters that they have the option of filing a petition to hold a special election. I don’t know that that’s what’s going to happen. When they do fill the vacancy then the next regular election, which I think is next November, there will be an election to fill the vacancy.”
Whatever option they pursue, Martin feels the County Attorney position should remain a full-time one…
“I really don’t see how it can be done on a part time basis. I mean you’ve really got to be into the job these days to do it because there’s just so much to be done.”
Martin recommended the supervisors appoint an assistant in his office, Amy Zenor, to the position. The board will
