Committee hears plan to reclassify court clerks and change court administrator pay method; council questions timing and back pay
November 04, 2025 | Spokane, Spokane County, Washington
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The first reclassification would create a prosecutor support specialist classification and move a portion of existing court clerk employees into that new classification after a civil-service survey concluded several employees are performing higher-level duties under new electronic case-management systems. Adams said four of five current court-clerk incumbents will migrate to the new classification (00:17:14).
The second item would reclassify the court administrator position away from its previous commissioner-linked pay (previously held by Howard Delaney, who retired) to an exempt/confidential salary grade. Adams said the change affects how compensation is determined but does not add headcount.
Council members pressed for clarity. Questions focused on whether the prosecutor support specialist is a newly created classification (Adams confirmed it is), how long incumbents have performed duties out of grade, and whether back pay might be required. Adams said civil service review follows after staff observed employees performing higher-level duties due to new e-court systems and that an element of back pay could be required (00:25:49). She said neither action creates additional FTEs; the changes are intended to align classification and compensation with the work employees perform.
Several council members expressed frustration with the timing and with perceived ad hoc creation of classifications outside the normal budget cycle; Adams said the administration included the compensation changes in the 2026 budget but needs personnel in place earlier to operate the updated systems. No vote was taken; councilors requested more documentation, including how long incumbents have performed the new duties and the civil-service evaluation that prompted the reclassification.
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