Prosecutor: office fully staffed; Conservation District outlines invasive-species, tree-sale programs

Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Wickman told the Feb. 18 Delta County Board of Commissioners her office is fully staffed and has hired a clerk funded in last year’s budget; the new hire is expected to start in March. Wickman said all three prosecutors are conducting trials frequently and that assistant prosecutor Lauren Mattson secured a guilty verdict in her first jury trial in December 2024.

Wickman also described training she attended, including sessions on the Crime Victims' Rights Act, multidisciplinary work with a child advocacy center, the neurobiology of trauma, and emerging issues around AI and digital evidence. She said changes in statutes addressing child-accosting and related offenses were a notable topic and that she will bring resources from the conferences back to the office.

Delta County Conservation District representative Heather (last name not specified in the record) updated the board on recent field work, including a hemlock-woolly-adelgid assessment at Fuller Park, monitoring of phragmites treatment and a plan to post invasive-species identification resources on the district website. She described an online spring tree fundraiser and a June 21 plant sale, a free pollinator-habitat workshop May 22, and a “Conservation on Tap” composting event March 13 at a local brewery. Heather said some popular seedlings have already sold out during the district's online sale and encouraged volunteers for spring pickup at the fairgrounds.

Commissioners thanked both presenters and noted the county will coordinate outreach and public-input efforts for parks and related programs.