County attorney keeps job, asks for raise

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February 8, 2010

Anonymous The Suwannee Democrat Mon Feb 08, 2010, 04:48 PM EST

Suwannee County's attorney will keep his post after he and a Perry man interviewed for the job Feb. 2. County attorney Hal Airth responded by asking for a 25 percent raise.

County commissioners approved a motion in September by current Commission Chairman Wesley Wainwright to send out Requests for Qualifications, or RFQs, for all legal, surveying and engineering work for which the county contracts. The first being county attorney, the post currently filled by Hal Airth. Wainwright was not in attendance for the interviews due to a family emergency.

Commissioners ranked Airth and Perry native William W. Blue, of Blue & Byers, PLLC, after the interviews. Airth received the highest score at 365 to Blue's 305, which put Airth as the first ranked candidate.

"The next step is to negotiate a contract with Airth," said commissioner Jesse Caruthers. "If that's not successful we go to the guy in Perry. So we'll just go through negotiations and see what happens."

Airth is seeking a raise from $100 an hour to $125 an hour and is asking that his retainer fee jump from $18,000 to $20,000.

"I think he's entitled to it," said commissioner Douglas Udell. "He's good here. He may not be prompt all the time, but neither am I nor are any other commissioners."

Udell said the last time Airth received a raise was about four years ago when he was on the chopping block to be fired. Udell said Airth was voted to stay on as county attorney and ended up going from $75 an hour to $100 an hour.

"County commissioners have received raises, but the attorney has only received the one," said Udell.

Airth has served as county attorney since 1996.

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