Alpena County reviews proposed increases to county attorney retainers; contracts to go to Personnel Committee

County Administrator Jesse Osmer presented proposed adjustments to attorney retainer contracts and the committee discussed next steps.

Osmer said current attorney contracts expire at the end of December 2026 and recommended the following monthly increases: Emilee Manning from $1,700 to $1,900; Katy Conklin and Justin Wilson from $3,800 to $4,000; and Matt Wojda and Cristy VanMassenhove from $3,800 to $4,200. He said, after this committee's approval, the contracts would be sent to the Personnel Committee to notify attorneys of openings, conduct interviews and then return to Grants & Contracts for finalization. Osmer said he will clarify each attorney's assignment and bring that information to a future meeting.

Why it matters: Increasing retainer amounts and clarifying assignments can change legal-service budgets and the county's ongoing legal support structure. Sending the positions through the Personnel Committee establishes a formal hiring/interview step before final contract awards.

What’s next: Administrator Osmer will provide details about attorney assignments and the committee expects the Personnel Committee to conduct outreach and interviews before bringing any final contracts back for approval.