A. 1. The salary of the director and other employees of the bureau and any detention home established pursuant to Section 2-4-108 of this title shall be fixed by the judge of the Juvenile Division, subject to the general administrative authority of the county commissioners of the contracting county. The salary of the director shall not exceed ninety percent (90%) of salaries of county Class A officers.

2. The salary of any other employee of the juvenile bureau shall not exceed eighty-five percent (85%) of Class A county officers.

B. The judge of the Juvenile Division, subject to the general administrative authority of the county commissioners of the contracting county, may fix a limit on the amount of expenses that may be incurred by the director and assistants to the director, such limit to be in the judgment of the judge adequate to care for the expenses necessary to carrying out the orders of the court in an efficient and expedient manner. The director and assistants to the director and other personnel of the court shall keep and maintain their offices at the place where the office of the judge of the court is kept, unless the judge of the Juvenile Division, subject to the general administrative authority of the county commissioners of the contracting county, shall direct otherwise. The offices of the director and assistants to the director shall contain adequate equipment, desk space and consultation rooms necessary for appropriate office procedure.

C. In addition to their salaries, the director and assistants to the director shall be reimbursed at the same rate as state employees for mileage traveled by them in the investigation of court cases and in supervising probationers. The director and assistants may also receive reimbursement, at the rate and in the manner applicable to other county officers, for actual and necessary expenses incurred by them in attending conferences, meetings, seminars or official business of the court either within or outside of the State of Oklahoma.

D. In all counties having a juvenile bureau, the budget of the juvenile bureau for salaries and expenses of the director, counselors and other employees shall be established and funded as follows:

1. All expenses incurred in complying with the provisions of this article shall be a county charge or funded by a special sales tax dedicated to juvenile programs and expenses;

2. The salaries and other compensation of all employees of the juvenile bureau shall be fixed by the judge within the limit of the total appropriations therefor; and

3. It is made the duty of the county excise board to make the necessary appropriation and levy for the payment of salaries of the director and all other employees, together with the expenses of administering the bureau, consistent with the duty to do likewise with the budget estimates of other county officers under the board's jurisdiction, as required by the Constitution and laws of this state.

4. Except in instances where it is entitled to representation because of insurance coverage, the district attorney of the county in which the juvenile bureau is located shall represent the juvenile bureau and any employee who was acting in his or her official capacity at the time of the act or omission complained of in any lawsuit. If the district attorney has a conflict of interest or otherwise declines to represent the juvenile bureau or its employees, the county commissioners may request the assistance of the Attorney General or authorize the employment of private counsel for the juvenile bureau and its employees in their official capacity.

Added by Laws 1968, c. 282, § 207, eff. Jan. 13, 1969. Amended by Laws 1974, c. 272, § 1, emerg. eff. May 29, 1974; Laws 1979, c. 248, § 3, eff. Oct. 1, 1979; Laws 1987, c. 105, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1987; Laws 1995, c. 352, § 159, eff. July 1, 1995. Renumbered from § 1207 of Title 10 by Laws 1995, c. 352, § 199, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 2005, c. 145, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2008, c. 385, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2008; Laws 2009, c. 234, § 75, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009. Renumbered from § 7305-1.7 of Title 10 by Laws 2009, c. 234, § 186, emerg. eff. May 21, 2009. Amended by Laws 2013, c. 404, § 17, eff. Nov. 1, 2013; Laws 2018, c. 155, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2018.