By John McLoone

The Pierce County Board’s Finance & Personnel Committee approved a slate of new employees for 2023 at its meeting Monday, July 11. Many of the positions need to be worked into the budget for the coming year still, but with this preliminary OK, administration can get to work to do that.

Several of the positions are in understaffed departments and others are covered by outside grant, state program or Medicare funding.

“We’ll essentially be going through this one time once we figure out what our budget numbers are for next year, perhaps at that time taking a little harder look. I’m sure these are needed, but we have to look at the bottom line. We will know that once we get our budget numbers,” said Supervisor Mike Kahlow.

With a couple of the positions, the jobs are being bumped from 35 to 40 hours per week because of increased workload.

“Over the last four years, we’ve been trying to whittle away at some of these seven- hour employees,” said Administrative Coordinator Jason Matthys. “There’s still significant need in those offices to get work done.” Two positions that go from seven to eight-hour workdays are for a deputy treasurer at a total cost to the county of $6,756 and an office specialist in the sol id waste department where there’s no overall change from the current year, as the worker won’t require health or dental insurance.

Other positions slated to be added (with the county cost for the position) include: Sheriff’s department patrol officer for court security ($113,426).

Maintenance facilities manager ($7,112).

Half-time victim witness specialist in the district attorney office ($20,328).

Emergency management field director ($77,309).

Other positions in the human services department include two social workers ($9,500 each but reimbursable through state funds in 2024), a clinical supervisor ($10,000 cost after reimbursable expenses) and a children’s long-term support social worker that would have no net county cost.

The patrol position is necessary because of high caseloads in the court system.

Pierce County Clerk of Courts Kerry Feuerhelm said that between 2015 and 2021, there have been between 7,000-8,000 cases heard in the three courtrooms, and that there have been 3,914 through June 21 of this year.

Right now, there’s a parttime temporary employee with the sheriff’s department who helps with court security, but there is a need for a full-time person.

Pierce County Circuit Judge Elizabeth Rohl is assisted in hearing cases by two out-of-county judges.

“We do have three courtrooms now. We have two district judges who are here at least once a month, and often, even if these judges decide they want to appear by Zoom, we still need the courtroom, because sometimes we have victims who want to be here in person,” said Feuerhelm. “We do need the security, and also they really help us with some problem people, which some people might think are criminal cases, but a lot of the times it’s small claims, people who are pro se who don’t have attorneys or family court people who are pro se, don’t have attorneys.”

County Board Chair Jon Aubart pointed out that regardless of the position being earmarked for court, the sheriff has discretion over staffing the department.

“We need to be cognizant that we’re hiring a deputy,” he said. “Whoever the sheriff is can decide whether or not to put that person at court. We are not hiring a court security officer because we don’t have control over what the sheriff does with the person. So, we’re really hiring a deputy and the intent right now is to put him in the courtroom, but that can always change.”

“You’re right, Jon,” Sheriff Nancy Hove said.

The emergency management field director position was seen as a critical need. Matthys said the county previously budgeted for a part- time position in that office.

“We’ve had several un- successful attempts to fill that position. Even previous to the pandemic, it was one of those positions we were trying to be creative with and fill with another part-time staff within the county,” he said.

Emergency Management Director Christine McPherson said that with the field director position, the county would be able to apply for additional grants, and it could open up grant funding for other fire and EMS departments in the county as well.

“She knows she needs help,” said Matthys, noting that she’s basically on-call at all times now. “We don’t have a step two to fill in the gap, not even a secretary to answer the phone.”

Aubart agreed the position is needed.

“For me personally it comes back to the county board chair if Christine is not available. I’d like to have this person here,” he said.

With the facilities manager position, Matthys pointed out that three positions will no longer be county employees in January, because cleaning of the courthouse and annex building are being outsourced to a private firm.

“There will be a savings to the county,” he said. “This will give us the ability to do more in our project management.”

The 35 percent Register of Deeds office position was cut out of the budget last year.

“The Register of Deeds had made this request last year. We had elected to remove that as part of the overall county budget. We’ve been struggling ever since,” said Matthys.

Register of Deeds Julie Hines said, “I just want to say we try to maintain a high level of customer service, and if you’re not familiar with real estate, people need those records. We give a lot of customer services, and it takes us a lot of time to do that.”