Commissioners may consider move to full-time county attorney

A resolution to make the Dodge County Attorney position full-time is expected on the agenda for the Jan. 13 Board of Commissioners meeting.
County Attorney Paul Kiltinen, who has suggested the move in the past, brought it forward again at the December Committee of the Whole meeting, prior to the full board session.
In a memo to the board, Kiltinen said state statute requires the decision to be made at the beginning of the year.
He added that even with a full-time county attorney, the office would still be short staffed. Over the years, he said, the county has grown, and cases have become more complex. Social services and the Sheriff’s Office have expanded to handle growing issues. The civil division, he said, also has a significant caseload.
Commissioners agreed with the idea of a full-time position but did express some concerns over how much influence the board would have on how the office operates.
Commissioner Rod Peterson said that in addition to increased caseloads and complexity, state statutes have also changed. With landlord-tenant and mental health issues, the process has become very cumbersome, he said.
While he supported having a full-time county attorney, he said, the only thing that person legally has to do, according to state statute, is attend board meetings. The attorney, he said, has a lot of authority over how to operate the office.
Kiltinen has served as part-time county attorney for 30-plus years and also has a private practice. If a full-time attorney is approved, the individual would not be able to continue with private practice.
“From what I see, a full-time position would serve the county better,” Peterson said. “I don’t know any attorney in the county who would run.”
He asked whether the position would draw people willing to relocate.
“How do we put expectations in as to what we want,” Commissioner David Kenworthy asked.
While he said he can see the benefits, his only concern was who would fill the position.
Commissioner John Allen said going with an elected, full-time attorney would mean having another county employee over whom the board had no control.
In response to the discussion, County Administrator Jim Elmquist said he would prepare a resolution to be discussed at the first board meeting in January.