Committee seeks to limit county attorney's advice to commission; bar direct legal assistance to public

The legal & legislative committee proposed a change to rule 15 that would narrow the county attorney's advisory role: under the recommendation, the county attorney would provide legal counsel and opinions only to the county commission as the county's legislative body and only upon request by a recognized commissioner or by the commission acting collectively outside a meeting.

"The county attorney shall provide legal counsel and opinions only to the county commission as the county's legislative body and only upon request," Commissioner Collins said while presenting the committee's recommendations. The proposed language would, the committee said, bar the county attorney from providing legal advice, legal opinions, or legal counsel directly to members of the public, including during public comment periods. The committee framed the change as clarifying the attorney's duties and protecting the office from conflicting demands.

Why it matters: commissioners and members of the public sometimes seek direct guidance from the county attorney. The committee said directing such questions through a commissioner or through a formal commission referral preserves the attorney's role as counsel to the governing body rather than to individual citizens. The item was recommended for the 08/17/2026 voting session as an individual rule change; the committee vote on this item was recorded as part of the package.