Chief assistant prosecutor warns of staffing shortfall as two prosecutors leave; commissioners spar over conduct

Jason Ronning, identified himself in public comment as the chief assistant prosecutor, told commissioners the prosecutor's office will be "down 33%" beginning next week after departures including Mary Foster and the scheduled departure of Jason Ronning's colleague. He warned the board that the office's ability to staff prosecutions is at risk and said the board needs to "get your house in order." Ronning described the losses as a consequence of an ongoing national attorney shortage aggravated by local governance decisions.

Earlier a commissioner read a longer district report relaying constituent complaints about "hate" directed at the prosecutor's office and said the county has failed to fully support prosecutors; the commissioner proposed limiting the administrator's authority and to "complete the class comp study" to stop it from 'ruling the county.'

Multiple county officials and commissioners responded from the dais. The county clerk and other officials described the recent conduct as "disrespectful" and inappropriate for the chamber; several commissioners apologized to the administrator and defended her, stressing that the administrator answers to the full board and urging consistency and civility. Sheriff representatives thanked law enforcement and highlighted a recent critical incident that had been resolved without injury.

Board members and the public framed the departures as an operational problem with short‑term public safety and court workflow implications; commissioners said they would continue to support the prosecutor's office and sheriff's office while stressing the need for internal conflict resolution. The board did not adopt a formal emergency staffing plan during the meeting but multiple commissioners said retaining experienced prosecutors and ensuring competitive compensation should be priorities.