Dodge County could change to full time attorney
Thu, 12/04/2025 - 4:51am
admin
By:
KAREN M. JORGENSEN EDITOR
A final decision has not been made, but Dodge County Commissioners are considering making the county attorney position full-time.
The idea was discussed last week at a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, prior to the full board session. County Attorney Paul Kiltinen, who has suggested the move in the past, brought it up again.
In a memo to the board, Kiltinen said he did so because 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 of staff. Over the years, he said, the county has grown and cases have become more complex. Social services and the Sheriff’s Office have also expanded to handle growing issues. The civil division, he said, also has a significant caseload.
Board members agreed on the full-time position but did have some concerns over how much influence the board could have on how the office operates.
Commissioner Rod Peterson said that in addition to increased caseloads and complexity, the state statutes have also changed. With landlord-tenant and mental health issues, the process has become very cumbersome.
While having a full-time county attorney is good, he said, the only thing that person 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.
According to Minnesota law, a county board may, by resolution, designate the office of county attorney as full-time and require that the elected attorney not engage in private practice. Also, the action must be taken at the January meeting before the first date applicants may file for the office, and the board will set the salary.
Kiltinen has served as part-time county attorney for 30-plus years and also has a 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.
Kenworthy said he can see the benefits, and his only concern is who comes in to fill the position.
Commissioner John Allen said going with an elected attorney would mean having another county employee over which the board had no control.
County Administrator Jim Elmquist told commissioners he will prepare a resolution changing the position to full-time and present it during the first meeting in January for further discussion.
See full story in this week’s print edition or subscribe online. Please subscribe here or current subscribers can login here.