Legislators press County Executive on consultant contract and jail compliance; grant appropriation put on hold amid budget dispute

Legislators on Feb. 24 pressed the County Executive’s office for details about a proposed professional services contract with Troy Schulte and about compliance work related to the county jail construction, and they moved to hold a grant appropriation amid an ongoing budget dispute.

The proposed Troy Schulte engagement was described in the meeting as a single professional‑services contract still being finalized. Caleb Clifford of the County Executive’s office told the Legislature that the draft under discussion was a three‑month agreement at $5,000 per month (a singular contract totaling $15,000) to assist with the transition to a new county administrator, the annual budget process and assessment work; Clifford said the contract had not been executed and would be submitted to the Legislature when finalized.

Legislator Barker and others pressed whether the contract required a competitive process or legislative approval; the legislative…