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Commissioners approve JJC hires after officials warn staffing levels are critical
Summary
The board approved hiring exceptions for a juvenile detention officer, a shift supervisor and a grant‑funded part‑time litter crew, after officials warned Juvenile Justice Center staffing had dropped to levels that could force transfers of youth to other counties.
The Walla Walla County Board of County Commissioners approved several hiring exceptions for the Juvenile Justice Center (JJC) and other staffing requests as county officials warned that JJC staffing had reached a critically low level.
Human Resources Manager Josh Griffith reported that JJC had 13 authorized positions and was down by several staff after a recent resignation and an upcoming retirement. Griffith said the agency was “getting down to a very thin margin of being able to do our job” and said there was a “potential of having to load up juveniles and taking them to Benton County” if staffing continued to fall.
The board approved, by voice vote, a hiring exception to fill one juvenile detention officer and a shift supervisor position for the JJC. Commissioner Fulmer, Commissioner Kimball and Commissioner Clayton all voted in favor. The board also approved a separate part‑time, grant‑funded State Ecology litter crew position for JJC.
Commissioners and county staff discussed prior conditional offers and the status of hires in process; HR said one candidate remained in final administrative checks for a prior conditional offer. During a broader personnel discussion, county auditor Karen Martin and commissioners noted it will likely take several months to determine whether the board’s hiring freeze is producing net payroll savings given overtime, backfilling and hiring exceptions.
Motions to extend recruitment for Public Works maintenance and mechanic positions (outside current expense) were also approved.
The board approved payroll action forms and other personnel forms at the meeting.
