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Board agrees to temporarily fund state court investigator as ARPA support ends; judges and solicitor urged planning for FY27
Summary
The county agreed to cover a state court investigator position after ARPA funds supporting the role were not renewed. The solicitor said the investigator prevents case dismissals by locating victims and evidence; commissioners asked to use existing court budget balances to bridge to January and to address longer-term funding in the budget cycle.
The solicitor told commissioners that an investigator in the state court office — previously funded by ARPA — will lose that reimbursement and requested the county pick up the salary and benefits so operations are not disrupted. The solicitor said the investigator, a former sheriff’s deputy, performs field work that has prevented dismissals in multiple cases by locating victims and witnesses.
Commissioners pressed procedural questions about out-of-cycle personnel funding and whether other court budgets could absorb the cost temporarily. County staff and judges explained ARPA timing and that a prior expectation of fiscal-year funding coverage changed after administrative decisions; commissioners agreed to use remaining Superior Court budget balances and to finalize the short-term funding through staff action until the normal budget cycle can consider longer-term allocation. Several members voiced concerns about precedent, but acknowledged the solicitor had previously budgeted for the position and the sudden ARPA change left the office with limited options.
Action: the board approved a budget amendment to allocate county funds to continue the investigator position pending the next budget process.
