Franklin County solicitor outlines office duties, staffing and volume of contract work

Elliot Salt Cove of the law firm Black and Davidson, the county solicitor, presented an overview of the solicitor's office and its statutory role under county code, noting the office's responsibility to provide legal advice to the board of commissioners and county administration.

Salt Cove said the county selected Black and Davidson in late 2019 and that the firm handles most county legal work, with some specialized matters handled by other lawyers or outside counsel. He described internal staffing and duties: Mark Orndorff handles real estate and tax valuation appeals; Lauren Salkov assists on criminal-justice-related matters; and Hannah Herman Snyder focuses heavily on Right-to-Know Act work. Salt Cove introduced Becky Brackbill, the office paralegal, and credited her with coordinating a high volume of work across 52 county departments and handling right-to-know requests up to the point of a hearing.

He summarized the solicitor's regular responsibilities: advising the commissioners and administration on legal matters, reviewing and negotiating contracts (he said the office reviews roughly 20 to more than 50 contracts a month), reviewing policies for legal consistency, overseeing litigation (including hazardous-material cost recovery and claims against the county), and advising on HR and risk matters when they progress beyond routine departmental handling. He emphasized the office's role as a liaison when outside counsel is appointed by the county's insurance carrier and noted the procurement code's strict legal requirements that frequently require solicitor involvement.

Commissioners thanked Salt Cove and Becky Brackbill for their work; one commissioner clarified that while the solicitor provides legal advice, the board retains discretion whether to follow it.