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County reviews superior court budget; commissioners consider reducing pro tem and bailiff costs
Summary
After executive session the commissioners discussed options to close a budget gap in superior court including reducing hours for judicial assistants, trimming pro tem judge pay, and cutting bailiff line items; staff will model savings and return with numbers.
Walla Walla County commissioners spent a substantial portion of their Dec. 2 meeting reviewing the superior court budget and discussing options to close a shortfall.
Clerk Diane (addressed in the meeting as Diane) and county staff identified a roughly 5% shortfall in the court budget that could be addressed by adjusting hours for judicial assistants, reducing pro tem judge payments and potentially cutting or repurposing the bailiff line item. Diane said moving one employee from a 40‑hour to a 37.5‑hour schedule could save roughly 5% of that office’s budget.
Commissioner Clayton said the commissioners and staff should not unilaterally make certain staffing decisions without more specific office data; the board asked staff to model the effect of proposed hour reductions and to provide revised numbers. "I don't think that you and I are best positioned to make this decision," Commissioner Clayton said, urging staff to return with detail.
The board discussed alternatives that could limit operational disruption, including decreasing pro tem judge spending and asking the clerk's office to absorb some jury facilitation tasks rather than relying on dedicated bailiff hours; commissioners noted cutting pro tems would shift work rather than eliminate it and could slow court operations.
County staff agreed to enter proposed changes into the budget model and provide updated figures to the auditor and commissioners for further consideration prior to finalizing the budget.
