Ellis County approves new victim-witness coordinator position for county attorney's office

The Ellis County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Jan. 14 to approve a job description and create a victim-witness coordinator position in the County Attorney’s Office.

County Attorney Aaron Cunningham, who took office the day before the meeting, asked the commission to approve the position and introduced Abby Anderson, the office’s legal assistant, to describe the duties. “A victim witness coordinator provides some system-based advocacy for victims,” Anderson said. “Having this dedicated role will give attention to victims of crime.”

Anderson told commissioners she will serve as a liaison between victims and prosecutors, assist with meeting set-up for hearings and trials, manage notifications and restitution requests, and work with juvenile, misdemeanor and felony cases. “I’m gonna work with juvenile cases, misdemeanor, felony cases — any victims associated with those crimes,” she said.

Cunningham said the office has already reorganized some support roles and plans to use existing budgeted salary dollars for the remainder of the current fiscal year. “It is financially doable certainly for this budget year, because our fourth attorney will not be joining the office until at least August,” Cunningham said, adding that the county is not requesting additional funds now but likely will seek funding during the next budget cycle if grant support is not identified.

The county administrator, Darren Myers, confirmed staff ran budget numbers and that salary savings originally set aside for a not-yet-hired fourth attorney can cover the new position through the current budget year. Commissioners approved the motion to adopt the job description and create the position by voice vote (ayes, unanimous).

Anderson said she will also research external grant opportunities such as VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) and other victim-service grants to help sustain the position. Cunningham and Anderson told the commission the role is common in prosecuting offices and used to be required by state law before that requirement was rescinded.

The vote authorizes creation of the position and adoption of the job description; no additional county funding was approved at this meeting beyond reallocating existing budgeted salary dollars. Commissioners noted that, absent successful grant applications, the office will need to request ongoing funding in a future budget.

The commission took the action during its regular meeting after the county attorney and the candidate presented the role and answered questions from commissioners.