Steiger selected as new county prosecutor

A small audience, which included members of law enforcement and courthouse staff, gathered in the 89th District Court courtroom to listen to Presque Isle County Circuit Judge Scott L. Pavlich name assistant prosecutor Rick Steiger, 40, as the county?s first new prosecuting attorney in more than a quarter of a century. Steiger will replace longtime public servant Don McLennan, who is running for the legislatively created combination of Judge of the Probate and District Courts of Presque Isle County. He will conclude 26 years of service as county prosecutor, October 15, the day his resignation becomes effective.

?I have some huge shoes to fill,? said Steiger, following Pavlich?s announcement. ?He (McLennan) has done an exemplary job. I promise you I will attempt to continue with integrity and professionalism.?

STEIGER, A soft-spoken father of two, has worked in the county prosecutor?s office as an assistant since January 15. He replaced Jeanneth Kirkpatrick. ?When Don said there was a position available here as an assistant, and that he was considering running for judge some day, he asked if I was interested in the assistant position and I jumped at it immediately,? said Steiger. After nearly a year in the Alpena County prosecutor?s office, he took up private practice for attorney Dan White of Alpena. He said, ?I always missed prosecuting.? Steiger is a graduate of the Thomas Cooley Law School, moving to Alpena in 2001. He looks forward to raising his family in the area. In reaching his decision on McLennan?s replacement, Judge Pavlich said he talked with several people that have worked with Steiger.

?HE HAS good legal abilities from everything I have heard, from his colleagues, to the other judges, and I think he will serve the people of Presque Isle County real well,? said Pavlich.

?We are fortunate he is here — and it made the decision fairly easy. I have heard nothing but good things about him.? Pavlich had contacted members of the Bar from Presque Isle County in his search for McLennan?s successor, rather than looking outside of the county. ?I think it is better to have somebody familiar with the county and familiar with the environment here. When I contacted everyone in the county, Rick?s the one I ended up speaking with. Obviously, he was recommended by Mr. McLennan and has experience in the office and was in place: It was the logical step, if it all fit together, and it all did.?

MCLENNAN ADDED: ?I am very pleased with Judge Pavlich?s decision. Rick is a family man with a strong moral character and he is also a very skilled attorney. The Presque Isle prosecutor?s office will be in good hands.? Steiger?s decision to represent ?The People? came about during his first two years in the area as a public defender. There was a case involving an elderly woman who was robbed and sexually assaulted. ?I defended the gentleman that was accused,? said Steiger. ?I afforded him the best due process I could have.? The case influenced his life and led to his decision to seek a prosecutor?s post. ?It was the best decision I had ever made in my life,? said Steiger. The time before McLennan steps down will be a transitional period. Members of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners will be left with the decision of finding another assistant prosecutor.

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