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Council approves public defender step placements and creation of two part‑time health officer roles
Summary
Council approved step increases for public defender staff and authorized creation of two part‑time health department positions (health officer and medical director), with discussion about licensing requirements and a 20‑hour cap to limit spending.
The Van Buren County Council approved a set of personnel actions March 4 that included advanced step placements for public defender attorneys and the creation of two part‑time positions in the county health department to address recruitment challenges.
Council approved moving two public defender positions to higher step placements so the office could match compensation for attorneys coming from outside agencies and for a part‑time attorney who converted to full‑time in April 2024; funding was described as coming from internal transfers rather than a new appropriation.
Health department leadership told the council full‑time candidates have been scarce and recommended hiring a part‑time health officer and a part‑time medical director to share duties. County staff and a council member discussed whether the medical director position could be an NP or needed to be a physician; health staff said state law requires a physician be designated as the health officer, while the medical director could be another licensed clinician approved by the state. Council asked that the salary ordinance be amended to cap the new part‑time roles at 20 hours a week; staff agreed that any expenditure above the transfer would require returning to council.
The motions passed by voice vote; council recorded withdrawal of one earlier personnel request and approved the remaining items listed at that time.
