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Douglas County approves part‑time coordinator for property‑crime compensation fund
Summary
The commission voted unanimously to create a 0.2 FTE property‑crime compensation coordinator paid with $15,000 reallocated from an existing awards line; the DA said better outreach and a simplified application will repair prior neglect of the fund.
The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners on April 8 voted unanimously to create a 0.2 full‑time equivalent position to administer the county’s Property Crime Compensation Fund and to fund that position with $15,000 reallocated from an existing budget line.
District Attorney Dakota Lumis told commissioners the fund — established by the county and authorized under state statute — reimburses victims of property crime (statutory caps are $250 for misdemeanors and $500 for felonies). Lumis said the fund’s administration lapsed in recent years, producing zero awards in 2024 and missed outreach to eligible victims.
“Without a dedicated person we had really stopped doing the work of this commission,” Lumis said, describing an audit that found prior processes out of step with statute and that some funds had been used improperly. He said the DA’s office now receives roughly $20,000–$21,000 a year in diversion fees that can seed a local fund and that there is a reserve available from past receipts.
Lumis told the board his office has simplified the application (from eight pages to a one‑page form with a QR code), rebuilt coordination with law enforcement, and resumed monthly board meetings that had failed to reach quorum in 2024. He said a part‑time coordinator would do outreach to victims, manage files, prepare statutorily required reports, and support a three‑member review board that approves awards.
Commissioners pressed on whether the coordinator could be paid from the local compensation fund; Lumis said the statute requires the county to pay employee costs and the county commission must decide the funding mechanism. Commissioners also asked about historical awards and whether there was a backlog; Lumis said record searches so far show no processed awards in 2024 and that paper files may yet be discovered during an office move.
Commissioner Kelly moved to create the 0.2 FTE position and allocate $15,000 from line item 10001510099095 to pay salary; the motion passed on a unanimous vote.
Next steps: the DA will post/hire for the position, continue outreach to law enforcement partners, and resume timely processing of claims. The three‑member compensation board retains authority over award amounts and may waive statutory caps in individual cases.
