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Osceola supervisors discuss county attorney’s impending departure and options for replacement
Summary
Supervisors reviewed timelines and options after being told the county attorney plans to leave in January; staff outlined advertising, appointment and petition rules and supervisors said they will wait for a formal resignation before taking final steps.
The Osceola County Board of Supervisors discussed plans for the impending departure of the county attorney on Dec. 27, 2024, including timelines for advertising the vacancy, appointment authority and the possibility of a special election.
A county staff member explained the statutory timetable the board must follow: the county has 40 days from the date the attorney vacates to act, and if the board appoints a successor, taxpayers have 14 days after the appointment to file a petition calling for a special election. The staff member said the board can either appoint or pursue a special election and noted the board had not yet received a formal resignation letter; the staff member said the attorney had indicated a likely last day of Jan. 13 but that the resignation was not yet official.
Supervisors discussed recruitment logistics: where to advertise (local papers, the county website and ISAC), how long to leave the application window open, and whether to solicit part-time or shared-county arrangements while recruiting a full-time replacement. Board members agreed it was premature to set final compensation for the office before receiving the formal resignation and before getting clarifying guidance from ISAC about compensation-board rules.
Salary and competitiveness were central to the discussion. Supervisors referenced a salary survey on ISAC’s website and compared the county attorney’s current pay (noted in the meeting as approximately $104,472) with neighboring counties; one supervisor said Lyon County’s compensation was substantially higher. Supervisors said they plan to consult ISAC and gather more information on whether the board has flexibility to set salary ahead of appointment or whether adjustments would require returning to the compensation board.
No formal action was taken. Supervisors directed staff to wait for the official resignation, reach out to ISAC for guidance on advertisement and compensation rules, and to consider interim arrangements such as part-time or shared counsel with neighboring counties if necessary.
