STUART — The Martin County Commission majority took the advice of the search committee it appointed to vet county attorney applicants and promoted Deputy County Attorney Elysse Elder to the head of the county’s Legal Department on Oct. 21 as the replacement for former County Attorney Sarah Woods, who retired last July after more than two decades with the county.
County Administrator Don Donaldson began the conversation that day with a brief description of the vetting process the county undertook after Woods announced her second and final retirement on May 6.
“This position was advertised on May 30 with the applicants submitting prior to July 1,” he said. “There were a number of views and interest, and the Board selected a committee to assist in reviewing the applicants. That board consisted of our Clerk of the Court Carolyn Timmann, Sheriff John Budensiek and Denise Marie Neiman – a former Palm Beach County attorney – and myself. Our job was to narrow down the applicants for the Board’s consideration. We did narrow it down to three applicants.”…