Churchill County approves advanced-step hire for chief civil deputy district attorney after extended debate

The Churchill County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the advanced-step placement and appointment of a chief civil deputy district attorney, authorizing an initial placement at grade 83, step 12.

County legal staff presented the request as a response to longstanding understaffing in the civil division and argued the candidate’s private- and public-sector civil litigation experience made the higher placement appropriate. "We have to prevent litigation by providing good legal advice at the beginning," Arthur Mallory, District Attorney, said during the discussion, urging the board to consider the office’s workload and the risk of increased litigation costs if the vacancy continued.

Board members pressed staff on fiscal precedent and long-term cost. One commissioner said the timing of an incoming countywide compensation study complicated committing to higher starting steps, noting potential budgetary pressures and concerns about creating a precedent that other departments might seek to match. County staff said the action would be approximately budget-neutral for the remainder of the current fiscal year because of salary savings from a prior vacancy but acknowledged a projected full-year fiscal impact of roughly $29,866 if the position remained at the higher step in subsequent years.

Joe Sanford, assistant county manager, summarized the hiring rationale: the office had three applicants; the recommended candidate is a former Churchill County employee with extensive civil-litigation experience and local ties. "This individual has extensive civil litigation background," Lane (district attorney’s office representative) said, emphasizing courtroom and pre-litigation experience the office needs.

Opponents of the advanced placement warned about "pay fatigue" and retention expectations: one commissioner said, "If we get someone to step 12, we may have difficulty satisfying them over the long term without additional adjustments." Supporters countered that the county previously reduced the pay scale for the position and the candidate would accept a substantial pay cut to return and live locally, which staff said reduces the risk of immediate turnover.

After discussion and questions about budget numbers and precedent, the board moved and seconded the advanced-step placement motion and approved it by voice vote.

The appointment will take effect as the county completes onboarding; staff said they expect the near-term fiscal impact to be manageable and will present full-year budget implications during the next budget cycle.