Sutter County approves pay-range increases and short-term hiring incentives for deputy district attorneys amid 60% vacancy

The Sutter County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 28 approved salary-range adjustments and a short-term hiring-incentive package for deputy district attorneys intended to address a severe staffing shortage in the District Attorney's office.

Human Resources Director Veronica Baumgartner told the board that the county's DDA 2, 3 and 4 salary ranges were significantly below market, by roughly 17.3% for DDA 2s, 23.7% for DDA 3s and 27.9% for DDA 4s. Baumgartner said the requested equity adjustments would cost approximately $113,996; the department plans to fund the changes this year from existing salary savings by freezing a vacant position and budget the ongoing costs in the next fiscal year.

Under the approved package, the county will: approve modest salary-range adjustments for the specified DDA classes, authorize multi-tiered cash incentives for qualified lateral hires (up to $10,000 for DDA 2 and 3 candidates and up to $15,000 for DDA 4s, distributed over multiple years and tied to retention requirements), and allow front-loaded leave (40 hours of vacation and sick) and limited relocation assistance for experienced recruits. Baumgartner said those incentives would be in effect only through June 1, 2026.

The District Attorney's office and county leaders framed the action as necessary to stem turnover and fill high-skill positions that are hard to recruit. The DA told the board the measures represent "zero net cost to the county" for the current year because they rely on money already budgeted to the office and on the frozen position.

The proposal prompted a sharply critical public comment from Ron Slavin, a union representative, who said the incentive package was not raised as part of recent bargaining and that the timing had "created a mistrust of our membership." Slavin urged the county to incorporate any long-term increases into base wages rather than rely on temporary bonuses.

County Administrative Officer Steve Smith and other board members acknowledged statewide recruitment pressures for attorneys and said the board sought to address positions that were furthest out of market. Several supervisors praised the DA and said the county must balance retention for public-safety functions with fiscal responsibility.

After board discussion and a roll-call vote, the motion to approve the HR recommendations carried on an aye vote recorded for Supervisors Flores, Ziggermeyer, Baines and Stevens. The board directed staff to proceed with implementation under the stated funding approach and time limits.

What happens next: staff will finalize hiring parameters, execute the incentive payments under the conditions approved by the board, and report back as needed for budget planning in the next fiscal year.