File photo/Rhonda Silence Local attorney Jeanne Smith has been hired to fill a paralegal/victim-witness coordinator position in the Cook County Attorney’s Office. Her professional skills are expected to add a great asset to the department.
The County Attorney’s Office is going to get a lot of bang for its buck when it fills a position carved out upon the retirement of Victim/Witness Coordinator Susan Maijala. The county board had agreed to add 15 hours of paralegal work to the half-time grant-funded victim/witness coordinator position and provide the extra funding needed to do so. What they are getting is an attorney.
“We had a really strong pool of applicants,” County Attorney Tim Scannell told the board at its November 22, 2011 meeting. One of the applicants was local attorney Jeanne Smith, and Scannell said the job had been offered to her. She will add “a huge…asset to our office,” he said, and she would be able to hit the ground running.
Scannell asked the board to authorize hiring Smith at a Step 5 pay level instead of Step 1 where most new employees start out. This would amount to about $3/ hour and $2,700/year more. “I’m getting a lawyer at $20/hour,” Scannell said, “which is huge.” The grant from the state, which has been renewed year after year, is about $32,000 a year.
The county has previously hired new employees at levels higher than Step 1 if they come with experience, Commissioner Bruce Martinson told the board.
With a unanimous vote, the board passed a motion approving the hiring. Temporary custodian position
Maintenance Director Brian Silence reported that John Johnson resigned from his 25-hour-a-week position as Community Center/Law Enforcement Center custodian. At Silence’s request, the board authorized Silence to hire a temporary custodian until after the first of the year so he can assess what the department’s needs are at this time. Engineering technician to be hired
Personnel Director Janet Simonen reported that an interview team of current and former Highway Department personnel had recommended hiring Andrew Graupmann of Glencoe, Minnesota to fill the engineering technician position vacated by Fran Johnson who retired at the end of September. He was one of five people interviewed out of a pool of 11 applicants, none of whom were from Cook County.
A two-year civil engineering degree is required for this position. The board approved the recommendation. Graupmann’s initial salary will be $11,000/ year lower than what Johnson was making when he retired.
“Just for your information,” Simonen added, “we have not yet been successful in filling Bill Parish’s position.” Parish, another engineering tech, retired this fall also, but his position will be replaced by an assistant county engineer position. Two applicants have been offered the job but turned it down for other offers, one with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the other with a refinery in Superior.
Commissioner Bruce Martinson commented that jobs in the private sector pay more than county jobs.
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