County to hire part‑time contract prosecutor as caseload climbs

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners authorized the county prosecutor to hire a part‑time contract attorney at a flat fee of $5,000 per month for five months to help cover a surge in caseloads.

Prosecuting attorney (speaker 3) told the board the office’s workload has increased “probably filing at least 5 or 6 more felony cases” and said pretrial hearings have risen substantially. Sandy from the prosecutor’s office (speaker 5) said pretrials had moved from an average of about 10 to roughly 35 per week and that felony filings are averaging about three to four more per week than a year ago. Commissioners discussed hours (staff proposed about 20–25 hours weekly in office on court days), whether the contractor should be deputized, and the tax/IRS implications of hiring a contractor versus an employee.

Commissioners also noted the contract is intended as a temporary measure while staff prepares a full‑time hiring request for the May workshop; the contract would end when budgeted full‑time staffing takes effect October 1. A motion to authorize the prosecuting attorney to hire the contract attorney (flat fee $5,000/month for five months) passed on a roll call vote.