County victim's advocate reports rising caseload, seeks longer hours; commissioners ratify grants and sign applications

Tabitha, the county victim's advocate, briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 5 and provided a semiannual report showing that, as of June 30, her office had served 40 people under the applicable victim assistance program. She said the midyear caseload had already exceeded the prior year's total and that after-hours calls and time spent with victims were increasing.

Tabitha requested that the annual application reflect the true program cost by increasing the advocate position to 30 hours per week (the position was described as 20 hours currently, plus an on-call schedule). She explained that additional hours would allow increased outreach, presence in schools and community groups, and more comprehensive support through the entire investigative and judicial process.

Because a victim‑assistance grant application (and related forms) had an upcoming deadline, Tabitha asked the board to sign the annual application and related fiscal-impact and reporting forms. A commissioner moved to approve appropriate signatures on the victim's advocate grant; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. The board also ratified the chair’s and county manager’s signatures on the victim-advocate assistance and law-enforcement funds annual report form.

Tabitha said she will send a completed digital packet of the application and attachments to staff after the meeting and that she will continue logging after‑hours call activity to better quantify workload demands for future reporting.