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Prosecutor asks Greene County to allow new full‑time office assistant/victim advocate in 2027 budget
Summary
Prosecutor Jared Hooksclaw asked the council to approve a job description so he can include a combined full‑time office assistant and victim’s advocate in his 2027 budget, proposing to reallocate $28,000 already in his department’s general‑fund lines and outlining training and salary estimates.
Prosecutor Jared Hooksclaw asked the Greene County council to approve a job description that would let him include a new full‑time office assistant — combined with the victim’s advocate duties — in his 2027 budget. He said the office has struggled to recruit and retain part‑time victim‑advocate staff and that combining two part‑time roles into one full‑time position would improve continuity of services.
"I'm asking for approval for a new full‑time position titled becoming office assistant to be put in my 2027 budget," Hooksclaw said, adding he planned to move $20,000 budgeted for a part‑time office assistant plus $8,000 budgeted for a research clerk toward the new position for a total of $28,000 already shown in the general fund.
Hooksclaw described recent hiring history: the prior part‑time victim’s advocate left for a full‑time job and earlier recruitment attempts produced few or no qualified applicants. He estimated an entry‑level hourly rate he found in prior budgets and projected a full‑year cost of roughly $41,295.80 before benefits; with benefits he estimated the additional county contribution would be roughly $13,000. He also described on‑the‑job training needs and annual certification opportunities for victim‑advocate duties.
Council members discussed options for approving the job description today while leaving final budget approval to the formal 2027 budget process. The chair clarified that approving the job description would allow Hooksclaw to place the position in his budget submission and that formal hiring and final funding would be decided in budget hearings later this year. A motion to approve the job description carried, and the prosecutor was instructed to return during the budget cycle with any necessary adjustments.
Why this matters: The position would centralize victim‑support duties that prosecutors say are required by state statute to ensure victims receive notifications and case support; Hooksclaw told the body that continuity and certified training matter for those services.
Next steps: Hooksclaw will include the position in his 2027 budget and the council will consider funding and final approval during the upcoming budget hearings.
