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Jefferson County board approves creation of communications and marketing coordinator amid debate over timing and role
Summary
After committee review and extended debate on timing and duties, the Jefferson County Board approved eliminating the assistant-to-the-county-administrator position and creating a communications and marketing coordinator position, a change the county administrator said aligns staffing with the county strategic plan.
The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate the assistant-to-the-county-administrator position and create a communications and marketing coordinator within County Administration, approving a related 2025 budget amendment at its July meeting.
County Administrator (recorded in the transcript as Mr. Lucky) told supervisors he conducted an internal review of county needs and concluded the county would be better served by a specialist in communications and marketing to support brand development, media relations, digital outreach and tourism efforts called for in the county strategic plan. The administration estimated the communications coordinator would cost $107,285.11 for 2025 compared with $128,676.77 budgeted for the assistant-to-the-county-administrator role, producing an estimated 2025 savings of $21,418.66 if filled for a full year.
The Human Resources Committee, Executive Committee and Finance Committee all recommended forwarding the change to the full board. The proposal prompted extended debate on the floor. Supervisor Brogler said he had voted against the measure in committee and urged the full board to reject it on timing grounds, saying the county may face a difficult budget cycle and should not eliminate a long-standing assistant role while uncertainty remains. Brogler also said he worried the change blurred lines of administrative authority.
Other supervisors supported the change. Supervisor Zarling (Carl Zarling in the record) described the position as ‘‘inevitable’’ and said it aligned with county strategic goals. Supervisor Winicki, who participated in Administrator Lucky’s original interview panel, said administrators should be able to adjust staffing to match strengths and weaknesses and voiced support for the administrator’s judgment.
Supervisor Morris cautioned that communicators should not be permitted to make policy on behalf of the board, saying final policy decisions must rest with elected officials rather than a communications specialist.
The measure passed on a roll-call vote: 21 yes, 5 no, and 4 absent. Because this is a budget amendment affecting a position, the board record notes a two-thirds requirement was met. Committees and administration said the position would overlap with the county’s current communications consultant (ARPA-funded, prepaid through the end of the term) to allow an information handoff if the county chooses to continue the function internally.
Next steps recorded in committee reports include finalizing the job description, posting the position, and managing the transition of duties from the prior position; Human Resources will oversee recruitment and return a report to the board.
