WABASHA, Minn. — The Wabasha County Commission has been ordered by a judge to restore the full $130,000 salary of the county prosecutor. The prosecutor, Matthew Stinson, was docked $20,000 in November 2024. Judge Joseph Bueltel, on loan from Steele County for the case, called Stinson’s pay cut “arbitrary and capricious.” Testimony in the case suggested that County Commissioner Donald Springer was peeved at Stinson for prosecuting his son for a curfew violation and convinced a 3-2 majority of commissioners to cut the prosecutor’s salary. Springer defended going after Stinson’s salary for prosecuting his son but dismissing charges against two juvenile buddies.
Earlier: Wabasha trial starts over county attorney salary
Earlier: Wabasha salary brouhaha now in court