Routt County appoints Linnea South as interim county attorney; commissioners ask for input on permanent hire

Routt County commissioners appointed Linnea South as interim county attorney, effective Saturday, May 17, and asked county leadership and departments to identify skill sets and priorities to inform a future permanent hiring process.

Jay, the county manager, told the board Linnea had stepped in and led the office through recent immediate demands and that staff had reviewed salary and qualifications internally. Linnea told the board she accepted the interim appointment and emphasized that the office will operate as a team effort during the transitional period.

Commissioners praised the county attorney's office for continuity and cross-training. The board recorded unanimous support for the interim appointment and asked staff to return with recommendations about the permanent position's role, desired experience and timeline for recruitment. The commissioners also acknowledged offers of temporary support from the City of Steamboat Springs's legal office.

Ending: Linnea will serve as interim county attorney while the commissioners and staff plan next steps for a permanent recruitment; the board asked departments to specify any complementary skill sets the new hire should possess and indicated outside counsel could be used in the interim if needed.