District Attorney Natasha Irving said she had what she calls a “respectful dialogue” on Thursday with members of Lincoln County’s budget advisory committee who earlier this month threatened to defund her department.

Irving, the top prosecutor for Knox, Waldo, Sagadahoc and Lincoln counties, said at first, she was “shocked” at the committee’s “reckless” recommendation, and threatened to sue if their suggested budget of one dollar got approved. Some local officials have been critical of Irving’s reformist approach and use of restorative justice practices.

But at an informational meeting Thursday at the Lincoln County Planning Office in Wiscasset, Irving said she was encouraged by the discussion with committee members and county commissioners around issues like domestic violence and recidivism that local officials say they’re concerned about.

“I’m really impressed with the budget committee coming in here, disagreeing and being critical of the criminal justice system and my role in it, and now being willing to learn. And we can learn from each other through this process,” Irving said. “And I think that that’s how we want county government to work, and that’s how government in Maine should work. We don’t want Maine to become Washington D.C.”

Lincoln County commissioners invited Irving to discuss her requested department budget of around half a million dollars in more detail with them before they vote on a final budget, likely in November.

This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.