During a recent government meeting, the county attorney, Greg Widseth, presented his budget proposal, which remains consistent with previous years, allocating 94% to salaries and benefits and 6% to other expenses. Widseth highlighted ongoing challenges in retaining legal talent, noting that recent hires have been difficult to maintain due to competitive salary structures in neighboring counties.

He pointed out that other counties, such as Pennington, have resorted to hiring private law firms for county attorney services due to a shortage of available attorneys. Widseth emphasized that local salary schedules are not competitive enough, as evidenced by McLeod and Otter Tail counties, which have significantly increased their attorney salaries to attract and retain staff. The McLeod County attorney now earns $195,000, while Otter Tail County's attorney earns $192,000, figures that are comparable to those in public defender roles.

Widseth's remarks underscore a pressing issue within the county's legal system, as the inability to offer competitive salaries may hinder the recruitment and retention of qualified attorneys, potentially impacting the effectiveness of legal services provided to the community.