Graham County approves short-term contract renewal with outside civil attorney

The Graham County Board of Supervisors voted Aug. 4 to approve a one-year renewal of a contract with attorney Kent Volkmar to provide civil legal services to the county. County Attorney Scott Bennett told the board the renewal is needed because the county’s sole civil attorney left to join a private law firm; prosecutors are handling civil matters in the interim. Bennett said Volkmar, a former Pinal County attorney who now operates a private practice and provides lobbying services, had previously worked for the county and was willing to resume work under the renewed agreement. The contract as presented covers the 2025–2026 fiscal year. Supervisors voted in favor of the renewal after brief discussion; the motion passed unanimously. The agreement is intended to provide specialized civil-law coverage while the county’s civil department remains short-staffed. No additional contract dollar amounts or hourly rates were specified during the public presentation. The board did not attach conditions to the renewal. County staff said they would provide further details on the contract terms on request.