Graham County supervisors approve contract extension, tax-deed sales, appointments, deeds and inmate-hospitalization agreement

The Graham County Board of Supervisors voted Jan. 7 to extend a contract with retired legal assistant Debbie Barnes, accept several tax-deed sales, approve multiple judicial pro tempore appointments, accept quitclaim deeds for county right-of-way and authorize a renewed inmate-hospitalization intergovernmental agreement.

County Attorney Scott Bennett told the board that Barnes, who retired several months ago, was retained as a consultant to help train new staff and fill a legal-assistant role. “We set a new record for felony filings last year,” Bennett said, and the office wants to retain Barnes through the end of the fiscal year while staffing and budget reviews continue. The board approved extending her contract through the fiscal year.

County Treasurer Cindy Orr presented four offers from the annual tax-deed auction and two over-the-counter parcel offers. The board approved sales for the parcels listed in the tax-deed packet and accepted the related…