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New prosecutor: Be smart on crime

ESCANABA — The Delta County Board of Commissioners had an opportunity to hear from Brett Gardner — the county’s new prosecutor — during its regular meeting Tuesday.

Gardner (who comes to the area from downstate Muskegon) was chosen from a pool of seven applicants interviewed by Circuit Court Judge John Economopoulos, whose responsibilities include naming a new county prosecutor. He was sworn in this June to replace Philip Strom, who served as county prosecutor for Delta County before being appointed as county administrator.

Gardner was an assistant prosecutor in the Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office for five years, followed by 24 years he served as the chief assistant prosecutor. After retiring from the county five years ago, he was an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School in Lansing. He has also served as special prosecutor for other counties, and has participated in various city, county, state and federal task forces focusing on murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and gun violence.

Gardner said he is not the only fresh face at the county prosecutor’s office. The office’s sole employee with significant experience in the county, Manager Christine Pepin, will be leaving at the end of August.

“I’m coming into an office that is basically new,” he said.

However, he noted Strom has been working with him as he becomes accustomed to his new position.

“With his assistance, he’s making that transition an easier one and one that is going to be a benefit to this community,” Gardner said.

Though he has not been in his current position for long, Gardner said he has already made some changes at the prosecutor’s office. These have included putting the county’s two victim service advocates into the same office.

“One of the changes that we’ve made in the office is actually to combine them into one office so that they can better serve the victims in our community,” he said.

In response to a question from Commissioner David Moyle about his goals for the county, Gardner said he hopes to continue to introduce new systems designed to make things easier for the prosecutor’s office, other units of government, and the community as a whole.

“When you make it simpler and easier to understand … we’re actually benefiting the community,” he said.

As part of this, he hopes to continue finding new solutions to the problems facing the area, citing the county’s drug court as a recent example of these solutions.

“We can’t just be tough on crime — we’ve got to be smart on crime,” Gardner said.

Strom said he is confident in Gardner’s ability to serve Delta County in his new role.

“He’ll bring a different dynamic to the prosecutor’s office that is good, especially in a time with such change going on there,” he said.

In other business, the board:

– gave Gardner authority to appoint deputy civil counsel and approved a $500 monthly stipend for the duties associated with this position. Funds for the stipend will come from a labor relations expenditure line item which has not been used lately. The position will be filled by Assistant Prosecutor Lauren Wickman.

– tentatively scheduled a committee of the whole meeting for Tuesday, Aug. 28, at noon at the Delta County Service Center.

– Delta County Sheriff Ed Oswald presented a lifesaving award to Deputy Chad Newton.

– gave Strom authority to write a letter opposing Senate Bill No. 1031.

– approved a resolution voicing their opposition to House Bill No. 6049 and Senate Bill No. 1025.

– approved a resolution designating the week of Sept. 17 as Community Foundation for Delta County Week.

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