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County hires new attorney to replace Koch
By Carl Mickelson Staff Writer
Friday, November 24, 2006 | No comments posted.
The Coos County Board of Commissioners hired away Jefferson County's attorney on Wednesday to replace former Coos County Counsel David Koch.
Jacqueline “Jacki” Haggerty, who currently serves as the county counsel for Jefferson County, based in the desert town of Madras, is scheduled to officially begin her new job on Jan. 2.
“This is going to be a good experience - a good learning experience for me,” Haggerty said.
She declined to provide her age, saying only that she is “over 40,” and that she had worked in the public and private legal arenas for the last 30 years.
“The experience I have is a plus,” she said. “But I have learned that the older I get, how much there is I don't know, and how much there is to learn,” she said.
Haggerty received her bachelor's degree from Washington State University in 1972, and earned her law degree from Willamette University in 1982.
Haggerty has been Jefferson County's attorney since 2003. For the 10 years leading up to her hiring there, she worked in private practice out of Enterprise. Haggerty also has served as the city attorney in Joseph, and Weston, as well as working for four years as the Umatilla County Counsel. Between 1985 and 1987 Haggerty was an assistant legal counsel for Marion County and served as that county's land-use hearings officer.
Haggerty has lived in Oregon for the last 30 years, after growing up in Pennsylvania, she said. While working in private practice she said she specialized in real property and land use matters, as well as guardianships and employment law.
Coos County's attorney works in a variety of capacities including issues concerning public safety, adult and juvenile corrections, public and mental health, land use, labor and employment law, among others. As the county's lawyer, Haggerty's most public role will be serving as an advisor to the Coos County Board of Commissioners and Coos County Planning Commission. She also will advise policymakers on the scope of their legal authority, without interfering in the policy decisions themselves.
According to Coos County Human Resources Director, Steve Allen, Haggerty will be paid about $6,096 per month, or about $73,000 annually. Allen, who took part in the interview process, said he believed the commissioners chose Haggerty due to her “strong background in public service.”
Allen said Haggerty was interviewed by Coos County Board Chairman John Griffith, and current county commissioners Nikki Whitty and Bev Owen, former Coos County Counsel Koch and incoming commissioner Kevin Stufflebean. Haggerty was unanimously selected during an administrative meeting on Wednesday and was offered the job that morning, which she accepted.
Allen said there were two other candidates for the position, but he declined to name them.
Koch announced in October he was leaving county work to work with the North Bend law firm of Stebbins & Coffey. Koch's last day on the job was Nov. 17.
Both Allen and Griffith spoke of Haggerty's considerable experience in land use, while Griffith said he liked her long background in public and private law.
“She has got considerable experience in this line of law,” Griffith said.
Haggerty, who also is working on getting her pilot's license, said she has spent little time in Coos County.
“When the kids were small, we spent some time down there at one of the beaches - Sunset Cove I think. We called it ‘Maggie's Beach,' after my daughter.”
Haggerty is divorced and has two children, a 21-year-old son in the U.S. Navy, currently stationed in Corpus Christi; and a daughter, majoring in journalism, at the University of Oregon.
She said the draw of the Oregon Coast was a big reason for her applying for the job. Haggerty, an avid kayaker, is looking forward to the exploring the area.
“I'm very much outdoorsy,” she said. “Nature really has a restoring quality. I really try to spend as much time as possible out kayaking, camping, hiking and that sort of thing.”
After living in Eastern Oregon for more than 20 years, she said she is looking forward to getting away from the heat of the desert.
“I start melting at about 75 degrees,” she said. “It's a desert. I learned the beauty of the desert, but I'm more of a tree and mountain person - and I love the beach.”
Jacqueline “Jacki” Haggerty, who currently serves as the county counsel for Jefferson County, based in the desert town of Madras, is scheduled to officially begin her new job on Jan. 2.
“This is going to be a good experience - a good learning experience for me,” Haggerty said.
She declined to provide her age, saying only that she is “over 40,” and that she had worked in the public and private legal arenas for the last 30 years.
“The experience I have is a plus,” she said. “But I have learned that the older I get, how much there is I don't know, and how much there is to learn,” she said.
Haggerty received her bachelor's degree from Washington State University in 1972, and earned her law degree from Willamette University in 1982.
Haggerty has been Jefferson County's attorney since 2003. For the 10 years leading up to her hiring there, she worked in private practice out of Enterprise. Haggerty also has served as the city attorney in Joseph, and Weston, as well as working for four years as the Umatilla County Counsel. Between 1985 and 1987 Haggerty was an assistant legal counsel for Marion County and served as that county's land-use hearings officer.
Haggerty has lived in Oregon for the last 30 years, after growing up in Pennsylvania, she said. While working in private practice she said she specialized in real property and land use matters, as well as guardianships and employment law.
Coos County's attorney works in a variety of capacities including issues concerning public safety, adult and juvenile corrections, public and mental health, land use, labor and employment law, among others. As the county's lawyer, Haggerty's most public role will be serving as an advisor to the Coos County Board of Commissioners and Coos County Planning Commission. She also will advise policymakers on the scope of their legal authority, without interfering in the policy decisions themselves.
According to Coos County Human Resources Director, Steve Allen, Haggerty will be paid about $6,096 per month, or about $73,000 annually. Allen, who took part in the interview process, said he believed the commissioners chose Haggerty due to her “strong background in public service.”
Allen said Haggerty was interviewed by Coos County Board Chairman John Griffith, and current county commissioners Nikki Whitty and Bev Owen, former Coos County Counsel Koch and incoming commissioner Kevin Stufflebean. Haggerty was unanimously selected during an administrative meeting on Wednesday and was offered the job that morning, which she accepted.
Allen said there were two other candidates for the position, but he declined to name them.
Koch announced in October he was leaving county work to work with the North Bend law firm of Stebbins & Coffey. Koch's last day on the job was Nov. 17.
Both Allen and Griffith spoke of Haggerty's considerable experience in land use, while Griffith said he liked her long background in public and private law.
“She has got considerable experience in this line of law,” Griffith said.
Haggerty, who also is working on getting her pilot's license, said she has spent little time in Coos County.
“When the kids were small, we spent some time down there at one of the beaches - Sunset Cove I think. We called it ‘Maggie's Beach,' after my daughter.”
Haggerty is divorced and has two children, a 21-year-old son in the U.S. Navy, currently stationed in Corpus Christi; and a daughter, majoring in journalism, at the University of Oregon.
She said the draw of the Oregon Coast was a big reason for her applying for the job. Haggerty, an avid kayaker, is looking forward to the exploring the area.
“I'm very much outdoorsy,” she said. “Nature really has a restoring quality. I really try to spend as much time as possible out kayaking, camping, hiking and that sort of thing.”
After living in Eastern Oregon for more than 20 years, she said she is looking forward to getting away from the heat of the desert.
“I start melting at about 75 degrees,” she said. “It's a desert. I learned the beauty of the desert, but I'm more of a tree and mountain person - and I love the beach.”
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