Dawson County Public Defender Patrick Tar brought two requests before the Dawson County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, July 1.
The requests were for a salary adjustment for an employee in his office and a county credit card for purchasing office supplies.
The board approved the salary request but postponed action on the credit card.
Tar told the board that the public defender's office has received its first appointments and is beginning to take cases, although the office is not yet fully operational.
In addition to Tar, two employees have been hired.
Tar said the salary for one employee was appropriate, but he requested a change to the second employee's contract to better reflect that person's experience.
"As it is right now, it is basically a minimum-wage position," Tar said. "I didn't anticipate having people with such qualifications right out of the gate."
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Although the employees were not identified during the meeting, Tar said both are well qualified for their positions.
He requested increasing the second employee's starting wage to $18.50 per hour for 2026, along with a 50-cent annual raise.
The board unanimously gave preapproval to the salary adjustment, contingent upon receiving a revised employment contract.
If the change affects the public defender's budget request, Tar will also need to submit an updated budget.
Regarding Tar's request for a county credit card to purchase office supplies, board members noted that the office already has an account with U-Save.
Tar said prices at U-Save are higher than those offered by other retailers, including Amazon.
Board members responded that they prefer to keep county spending with local businesses when possible.
No action was taken on the credit card request because it was not listed on the meeting agenda. Tar will need to submit the request for inclusion on a future agenda.
In other business, the board reviewed second-quarter paid time off reports, with no action taken, and designated NACO, State Print Shop and Pitney Bowes as printing and mailing vendors for county postcards.
Before the commissioners meeting, the Dawson County Board of Equalization approved permissive tax exemptions for three church parcels and a vacant lot owned by Crossing Fellowship of Gothenburg.
The vacant lot was purchased for use as a parking area.
