Coos County Juvenile Director Janet Evans has been selected to take over when Georgia Gates retires as Clatsop County Juvenile Director after nine years in the position.

Evans has been with Coos County for more than 17 years, starting out as a corrections deputy and dispatcher, and also held positions such as Children’s Advocacy Center director, Juvenile Detention counselor, Juvenile Probation Officer and caseworker and Detention Supervisor before being appointed as the Coos County Juvenile Director in 2005.

Clatsop County Manager Scott Derickson said that though the county had a relatively small applicant pool for this specialized position, he was impressed with the strong juvenile justice background that the top candidates possessed.

“We were very fortunate to have a good candidate pool for this position,” he said. “Janet rose above the other candidates in her knowledge, solid background in the juvenile justice field as well as her demonstrated ability to creatively operate programs with existing funds that sometimes fluctuate from year to year,” Derickson stated.

The Juvenile Department Director oversees up to 13 full-time employees ranging from Juvenile Counselors, Work Crew Staff, the County’s Law Library, as well as the county’s Juvenile Detention Center and staff. The director position is also a vital part of the County Public Safety Coordinating Council as well as a member of other ancillary public services, public safety groups and volunteer programs and committees regarding juvenile justice.

Evans is expected to begin her new post in mid-June.

Schurman takes clerk’s roleAnother department head appointment has been made on an interim basis by Derickson. Catherine Schurman wil be the new interim county clerk.

Schurman, the County’s Election Technician, has been working as the Elections Supervisor since February of this year under Interim Clerk Fred Neal.

He has been filling the vacancy since the promotion of former County Clerk Nicole Williams to assistant county manager.

Schurman has been with the County Clerk and Elections Department since March 2004. Previously she worked in the Clackamas County Elections department. She starts as interim clerk Monday.