Former Mohave County Attorney returns
 
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KINGMAN, Ariz. - Bill Ekstrom is returning to the Mohave County Attorney's Office. The man he helped promote to County Attorney, Matt Smith, has hired Ekstrom to return to work in the Civil Division.

Ekstrom retired in January, a year before his four year term of office expired. He helped convince the Board of Supervisors to appoint veteran deputy attorney Matt Smith as County Attorney.

Smith has hired Ekstrom to fill the vacancy created through the departure of former Civil Division attorney Charlotte Wells. Smith said Ekstrom should return to the office by the end of the month at an annual salary of almost $77,000.

The Board of Supervisors on Monday took no action on Smith's request for approving an $80,000 salary for Ekstrom. Smith said Wells had a raise coming and that Ekstrom's expertise and talent was worth as much as Wells'.

No action by the Board means Ekstrom won't get Wells' raise and will return to work for $76,800.

Board Chairman Pete Byers said there's been a negative public reaction about a perception that Smith and Ekstrom have manipulated the system and orchestrated a job switch to their advantage.

"There's an outcry out there about this whole thing," Byers said. "I've gotten a lot of phone calls not wanting us to do this at all."

Smith explained that the hiring decision is his to make as a Department head and that the supervisors had the authority to reject the raise. Smith said no matter the appearance, Ekstrom is the best person for the job and will be a valuable resource to the office and county.
 
Tri-States News Network
Originally published Wednesday, September 8, 2004
 
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