Union County commissioners discussed a personnel package that would add an attorney-level position to take on prosecutorial and victim-support duties and considered a separate request for a 10% pay increase for the public defender.

Staff described uncertainty tied to a victim-advocate grant that runs through June 30, 2026. Commissioners said if the grant ends, the county may need to absorb some or all of the position's cost; staff estimated adding a full-year employee (salary plus benefits) could be on the order of $110,000. Participants debated whether one hire could cover multiple duties or whether separate positions are warranted.

Commissioners asked about supervision and oversight for any new hire and whether a new attorney could be managed within the prosecutor's office or would sit in a different office. Staff emphasized that a victim's advocate's duties include client support and case-related tasks and that some duties would be different from prosecutorial casework; several participants said adding staff would reduce reliance on outside counsel and help move cases more quickly.

The group did not adopt a final staffing change in the transcript provided. Commissioners generally acknowledged rising caseloads and the potential operational benefits of additional staff, but expressed hesitancy about creating new ongoing positions without clear recurring revenue. The board directed staff to include the personnel request in the budget package for further consideration before the final posting deadline.