WHEATLAND - Platte County Attorney Mary Eikenberry told the County Commission on Tuesday that no one has complained to her about her job performance.

Eikenberry appeared before the commission with her attorney, Bruce Moats of Cheyenne.

She said not knowing about specific complaints about her job performance placed her in a difficult spot in trying to defend herself. Several people have complained to the commissioners about her performance, both in open and closed meetings.

The commission had voted April 3 to hire an investigator to look into the complaints against Eikenberry. However, on Tuesday, commissioners said they needed Eikenberry's permission to hire the investigator. As the elected county attorney, Eikenberry is responsible both for providing legal counsel to the commission and prosecuting criminal cases.

Eikenberry said she would discuss the investigator hiring with her attorney, and the commission said it might need to hire an attorney just to advise it on how to proceed.

Commission Chairman Joe Reichardt said the commission had no plans on what to do if Eikenberry did not agree to the commission hiring another attorney.

Reichardt said recently that the commission had no opinion one way or the other on Eikenberry's job performance. But last month, he expressed concern about lack of productivity from the county attorney's office, and the commission approved the hiring of two additional staff members to help her.

"It's obvious the work isn't getting done," he said at the time. "That's what the commissioners are doing to help her with her learning curve. It is our desire that she succeeds and becomes able to do the work that a county attorney needs to get done… I just know we are not getting our money's worth out of her, as she isn't even doing the job she was voted in to do."

According to a court document, Eikenberry has dismissed criminal charges against at least 17 people whose charges were prepared by the previous county attorney, Eric Alden, since she took office in January. Eikenberry's supporters say her office was short staffed when she took over and that she should be given time to get up to speed.

The commissioners met previously with Attorney General Pat Crank, who told them there are three state statutes governing the removal from office of a county attorney:

* Commissioners could remove an attorney for cause.

* The governor or attorney general could prosecute the attorney for misconduct or malfeasance.

* If a citizen files a formal complaint with the county clerk, the commissioners can hold a hearing to determine whether the attorney should be removed; the burden of proof is on the citizen filing the complaint, and either side could appeal the outcome to District Court.