Benton County has a new top attorney. The Board of Commissioners has approved the appointment of Jane Vetto as county counsel, with her start date set for April 13.
Vetto replaces Vance Croney, who is retiring after more than 25 years in the role. The county used Strategic Government Resources, a local-government executive recruitment firm, to conduct the search.
Vetto brings substantial experience in Oregon and Washington county government legal work. She served as county counsel for both Marion and Clackamas counties, where she provided legal advice and representation to elected and appointed officials and acted as primary counsel for commissioners. In Marion County, her work included labor and contract negotiations, land use issues and open public meeting law.
Prior to those positions, Vetto worked as a deputy and senior deputy prosecutor in the Civil Division for Clark County, Washington, advising county departments and defending the county in state, federal and appellate court proceedings.
Most recently, she served as a deputy county attorney for Linn County, handling legal matters across multiple departments including land use, health services, roads and public safety.
Vetto is a University of Oregon graduate, holding both a law degree and a bachelor’s degree in history from the institution.
Croney, who participated in the recruitment process, offered praise for his successor in the county’s announcement.
“She’s bright, experienced, professional and very personable,” Croney said. “I’m excited about the direction the county is going with its legal services into the future.”