Hall County approves county attorney staff promotion; attorney seeks broader budget line for expert witnesses

The Hall County Board unanimously approved a personnel change requested by the county attorney to reclassify a deputy prosecutor from Attorney I to Attorney II effective with the next pay period, and commissioners heard that the county may exceed a current line item for expert witnesses in a complex prosecution.

County Attorney (self-identified in the record) explained the promotion request as recognition of additional duties the deputy had assumed, including informal mentoring of new staff and leading the office’s mental health board responsibilities. He said the proposed promotion would be budgeted as part of next fiscal year but asked to start the step increase immediately because current open positions in the office would absorb the near-term cost.

The board voted 7-0 to approve moving the position to Attorney II with the planned budgetary adjustments. Several commissioners praised the deputy’s work on mental health hearings and mentoring.

The county attorney also told the board his office will likely exceed a specific forensic/"murder" prosecution line item this fiscal year because of expert witness fees in a complex case. He said he plans to propose at budget time that the line item be broadened — for example to “murder and other complicated cases” — so the office can use the funds for expert witnesses in non-homicide but similarly complex prosecutions. The board directed him to coordinate with county finance staff (Kim) to track expenses and present a recommendation during the next budget cycle.

The board also discussed an earlier payroll-relational calculation for the public defender’s chief deputy position; legal staff and the clerk will return with an agenda item if the board wants to change the established percentage relationship retroactively.