This article was in Thursday’s (April 13th, 2017) Herald and News

Written By: Stephen Floyd, H&N Staff Reporter 

Local recommendations for the next Klamath County district attorney were well received Thursday when delivered to Gov. Kate Brown’s office in Salem, while a DA appointment could be announced by early next month.

County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot said Brown and her legal staff were “all very kind, very receptive” when DeGroot, Klamath County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Heather Tramp and Joe Spendolini —who had organized the Klamath Falls review committee — personally delivered the recommendations to Brown’s office in Salem.

“They were impressed and very thankful,” said DeGroot.

He said Brown’s staff will soon be coming to Klamath County to conduct a second round of candidate interviews. Brown is expected to appoint a new DA within the next four weeks, said DeGroot, possibly as soon as the beginning of May.

Committee approval

The position of DA has been vacant since Rob Patridge resigned March 10 and on March 21 Brown gave approval for a local committee, formed by Spendolini through the chamber and commissioners, to interview DA applicants.

The committee was the first of its kind in Oregon, as the governor has unilateral authority to make an appointment and local input is not required.

A letter from Brown to the committee said she would retain the authority of her office but would take local recommendations “into very serious account.”

On Tuesday the committee recommended Klamath Falls-based defense attorney Evelyn Costello and Klamath County Deputy District Attorney Michael Swanson as their top candidates for the position. On Wednesday commissioners gave their approval to the candidates as well.

DeGroot acknowledged Brown is not obligated to act on these recommendations but said the committee’s research “will have a bearing on how they proceed with the second round.”

In addition to discussing the appointment of a DA, DeGroot said Brown asked about other ways her office could help Klamath County. Though DeGroot did not have specific concerns or projects at the time, he said he sees this as evidence doors are opening between state and local government.

“I believe that a relationship is being formed where we’re able to work with the governor’s office,” he said.