Board approves local funding approach to comply with state body‑camera requirement for Commonwealth's attorneys

Staff briefed the board on a state compensation‑board requirement that localities using law‑enforcement body cameras must provide additional Commonwealth's‑attorney support (an additional assistant for each 75 cameras) and outlined alternate approaches used in prior years. The Commonwealth's attorney proposed salary supplements for existing staff (approximate supplement amounts described in packet) plus a request to reserve funds for camera maintenance (cloud storage, licensing) and suggested a revenue‑sharing arrangement for collections that would offset some local cost.

Staff said the entry‑level salary for an assistant Commonwealth's attorney (as presented in the packet) was $74,970 and that total compensation with benefits could run substantially higher; staff noted prior negotiated approaches had reduced the local cost from the theoretical full amount. The packet listed salary supplements and $15,000 for camera maintenance in addition to supplement totals; staff said that with anticipated recoveries the net local cost would be substantially lower than hiring a full new assistant. The board moved to include the recommended approach in its budget preparations and approved the request during the April 16 meeting.

What happens next: staff will include the recommended salary‑supplement and maintenance funding approach in the county's budget draft for further review and appropriation.