MALONE -- A part-time prosecutor position, funded through a grant, will increase to a full-time job in the Franklin County District Attorney's Office.

District Attorney Derek Champagne told legislators that he was awarded $40,000 from the State Division of Criminal Justice Services for the third and final year of Operation Impact Tools.

He had used the money in previous years for a part-time ADA, a position that had been filled by Patrick J. Herne.

But Herne resigned recently to take a judgeship with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Court.

Rather than hire a new part-timer for the months left in the 2007-08 grant year, Champagne decided to bump up the hours for the position to full time, using asset-seizure and forfeiture money.

He intends to hire the county's assistant conflict defender, Gary Pasqua, for the $50,000 position. The county is expected to begin advertising for a new assistant-conflict defender.

In other recent business, legislators:

Appointed Daniel Clark to a two-year term on the Franklin County Regional Workforce Investment Board, to expire Feb. 15, 2010.

Appointed Dianna C. Tarbell to a two-year term on the Franklin County Regional Workforce Investment Board, to expire Oct. 4, 2010.

Appointed Susan Schrader and Marc LaShomb to one-year terms on the Franklin County Industrial Development Agency Board of Directors, to expire Nov. 30, 2009.

draymo@pressrepublican.com