RivCo Supervisors OK Creation of Co-Counsel Positions

By City News Service:

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday authorized the Department of Human Resources to create deputy county counsel positions that would be filled with non-union attorneys capable of assisting the chief counsel with personnel and other matters.

“This should help make us more efficient and effective,” board Chairman Marion Ashley said just before the unanimous vote in favor of the proposal, under which up to six new positions could be added to the Office of County Counsel’s existing labor pool.

If funding for salaries and benefits is appropriated, the deputy counselors would have salaries ranging from $73,000 annually for the most junior grade to $213,000 for the most senior, designated “deputy chief counsel,” serving under Chief Counsel Greg Priamos.

“Maybe you need the help, but the public needs to know why,” Mead Valley resident Brett Holstrom told the board when the matter was brought forward. “Why should we be loading up on more attorneys?”

County CEO Jay Orr said that additional staff attorneys are necessary to handle “labor and employment matters,” noting that many of the lawyers in the county’s ranks are currently represented by collective bargaining units. The Deputy District Attorneys’ Association counts most attorneys in the Office of County Counsel as members.

“It’s important to have somebody in a (confidential) position who can report directly to the chief counsel and work with the leadership,” Orr said.

All of the proposed new jobs would be at-will and not bound by any labor agreements, according to Executive Office documents.

It wasn’t clear when the county may begin recruiting for the positions, or how many may be filled in the current fiscal year.

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