Ellis County approves victim-witness coordinator position for County Attorney’s Office

ELLIS COUNTY, Kan. — The Ellis County Board of County Commissioners voted Jan. 14 to approve a job description and establish a victim‑witness coordinator position in the County Attorney’s Office.

The job is intended to provide dedicated case‑level advocacy and communications between victims and prosecutors, the county attorney said. "I'm gonna work with juvenile, cases, misdemeanor, felony cases, any victims associated with those crimes," Abby Anderson told the commission after County Attorney Aaron Cunningham introduced the item. "I'll essentially act as a liaison between that victim and the attorney themselves, helping set up meetings for... hearings, trials. I'll help manage restitution requests and manage expectations when it comes to restitution. I'll create and manage all of the notifications and the communications we have with these particular individuals in our office."

Cunningham said he took office the day before and had reorganized some staff positions in the office. He described the new victim‑witness coordinator role as a way to "streamline the process for attorneys preparing complaints and affidavits" and asked the commission to approve the job description and position. "So with that, I would ask for you to consider the motion to approve the victim witness coordinator job description and the position with the County Attorney's Office," he said.

The county administrator, Darren Myers, told commissioners that funding for the position is available within the current budget year because a fourth prosecutor is not expected to start until at least August. Cunningham confirmed the office will seek external grant funding to help sustain the position beyond the current fiscal year; Anderson said she would research possible sources including the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and other grants mentioned during the discussion.

Commissioners asked whether the position was a new description and how it fit in county policy; staff confirmed the county can adopt job descriptions in advance of hiring to preserve flexibility in future budget cycles.

A motion to approve the job description and create the position was made and seconded; the commission voted in favor (3-0). The meeting record does not name the individual who moved or seconded the motion.

The commission and county staff described the role as intended to reduce missed notifications and improve support for people who participate in criminal justice proceedings. Anderson said a dedicated coordinator helps "demystify the criminal justice process" and reduce confusion for victims when they are required to appear in court.

What happens next: With the job description approved, the County Attorney’s Office will proceed with internal staffing steps. Cunningham and Anderson said the office will pursue grant options to help fund the position in future budget cycles.