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• Pierce County Board considers 2.5 percent hikes for officials
• Sex offender meeting set for April 17 in Plum City
• Ellsworth woman may face jail time after judge tosses agreement

By Judy Wiff, Regional Editor

The Pierce County Finance and Personnel Committee is recommending 2.5 percent increases for three elected officials for each of the four years of their new terms.

The county clerk, treasurer and register of deeds positions are up for election this fall. New terms will start Jan. 1, 2009.

The current salary for each of the jobs is $50,121. If the committee recommendation is adopted when the county board meets in April, the new salaries will be $51,374 for 2009; $52,658 for 2010; $53,974 for 2011; and $55,323 for 2012.

This fall will be first time the three positions are elected to four-year terms.

Supervisor Pamela Sans indicated that, when salaries were set in 2006, the sheriff and clerk of court were given only one percent increases for 2009 and 2010.

At the time, county board members debated giving any raises because of anticipated budget shortfalls.

Contact Judy Wiff at regional@rivertowns.net or 715.426.1049.

The Pierce County Sheriff's Department has announced a sex offender community notification meeting for Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at the Plum City Elementary School gym in Plum City.

Representatives from the Department of Corrections, Pierce County District Attorney's Office, Plum City School District and Pierce County Sheriff's Department will be in attendance.

By Jen Cullen, RiverTown Staff

RED WING, Minn. -- Saying it lacked criminal consequences, a judge on Friday turned down a settlement deal calling for an Ellsworth woman to repay more than $70,000 to the Red Wing company she allegedly stole from.

The agreement reached between attorneys would have kept Lynn Wittman out of jail, but required her to make large restitution payments.

Wittman is accused of stealing from Culligan Water Systems starting in 2005.

The 35-year-old allegedly altered the company's books to make them appear balanced while she worked in the accounts payable department.

She would then allegedly write herself checks for random amounts, according to a criminal complaint.

First District Court Judge Thomas Bibus called the agreement concerning. "It's too lenient given the circumstances," he said Friday. "I don't know if the plan is realistic or not."

Wittman would have been required to pay Culligan's owner, Glen Craven, $30,000 on June 1, monthly installments for two years and another large payment in 2011.

Assistant Goodhue County Attorney Carol Lee said that plan was the best way to ensure Craven was received his money.

"I know Mr. Craven is frustrated too," Lee said about the lack of criminal consequences. "But at least he'll get the money paid back within a reasonable amount of time."

Wittman was fired from Culligan in April 2007.

She was allegedly stealing form the company from March 2005 until the day she was let go.

A Rochester accounting agency found evidence the money was missing while training an employee to replace Wittman.

Wittman is scheduled to appear in court again at 1 p.m. April 18.