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County counselor raises proposal to convert contract to employee status; commissioners request references and cost details
Summary
County counselor Josh reviewed his contract history and asked the commission to consider converting his current contract arrangement to county employment starting Jan. 1, 2026. Commissioners requested references and asked staff to provide financial detail on payroll impacts.
Osage County's contract county counselor raised the possibility of transitioning from a contracted firm arrangement to an employee role and asked commissioners to consider adding dedicated county-paid hours to ensure timely legal support.
Josh (identified in the meeting as county counselor) said his partner's recent appointment as a U.S. attorney has changed his firm's status and prompted the proposal to convert to a salaried, exempt employee rather than maintain a contract with a firm. He said he would not require benefits but noted employer FICA and KPERS (retirement) contributions would be additional payroll costs.
Why it matters: Converting counsel from a contract to an employee affects payroll, employer taxes and retirement contributions and changes how the county appoints an official county counselor under state law.
Discussion highlights
- Background: Josh said the last formal contract was for 18 months beginning July 2023 and that he has continued providing services beyond that expiration. He asked whether the commission would consider appointing him as the county counselor and making him an employee beginning Jan. 1.
- Financials: Commissioners and staff requested a resume and personal references and asked that Josh and staff provide a clear estimate of the additional employer costs (FICA and retirement/KPERS) if the county converts his appointment to payroll.
- Scope of hours: Josh said he had previously requested roughly eight additional hours per month to cover county work; he said dedicated hours could be funded from relevant department budgets if commissioners prefer.
Commission response and next steps
Commissioner Brandon (staff) asked for references and background checks; commissioners agreed the item did not require immediate action and requested written materials and a budget estimate before a decision would be taken.
Ending
No formal action was taken Aug. 5. Josh agreed to provide references and cooperate with staff to produce the payroll/cost estimate; commissioners asked staff to place the matter on a future agenda once documentation is complete.
