County counsel outlines new org chart, staffing priorities and heavier records workload

Courtney, representing the county-counsel office, walked commissioners through two organization charts showing a restructuring from a flatter to a more vertical model and the creation of a senior paralegal position supervising paralegals. "You'll see that senior paralegal position is now supervising our paralegal staff," she said, explaining the change brings paralegals into the informal leadership table and supports succession planning.

Courtney said the office has three substantive vacancies: a deputy reclassification to be filled internally, an external recruitment for senior county counsel, and a senior paralegal role now classed in the budget. She described the deputy reclass as an internal move so it will not create a new vacancy and said the office is actively preparing job descriptions and recruitment plans.

Commissioners pressed on workload balance, and Courtney acknowledged some areas remain thin—particularly litigation (two litigators) and HR support across nine bargaining units—so the office will continue to rely on outside counsel while recruiting. On public-records requests, Courtney said more detailed, often AI-generated requests are adding time and complexity: "I feel like we're seeing more public records requests that are much more detailed, and I think it is the use of AI because you will get these really long requests that are asking, you know, it's almost like it's pulling it out of the statute." She noted attorney review is reserved for requests that need legal advice or redaction and that attorney/paralegal fees are set in the county fee schedule.

Staff and commissioners agreed to share the attorney assignment list more broadly as vacancies are filled and to return with recruitment updates; commissioners also asked that the org chart be updated periodically as positions are filled.