County Counsel serves and protects the county, its treasury, and its governing body, by providing timely, responsive, high quality legal services and aggressively representing the county in litigation. We are committed to providing creative solutions and viable alternatives to support the delivery of County services. Legal services are performed maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while fostering high morale and productivity, through collaborative efforts dedicated to continuous improvement.

Risk Management

Risk Management is a division of Sutter County Counsel. Our mission is to prevent, identify, evaluate, and mitigate exposure; and advise the Board of Supervisors and Departments of risk control strategies to reduce unanticipated financial losses. Risk Management administers the County’s self and excess insurance programs including liability, workers compensation, property, medical malpractice, pollution, and cyber.

Additional Risk Management duties include:

  • Claims Against the County
  • Contract Review
  • Insurance Purchasing & Renewals
  • Workplace Violence & Threat Assessment Team
  • Property/Vehicle Reimbursements or Replacement
  • Safety Awareness, Training & Compliance
  • Illness & Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP)
  • ADA Coordination and Contact

ADA Coordinator

The Risk Management Administrator serves as the point of contact for County departments and residents for concerns related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a comprehensive piece of civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination and guarantees people with disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else relating to employment opportunities, purchasing of goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services.

Sutter County is committed to on-going efforts to provide access to public services to all residents, clients, and visitors of the County. All reasonable requests and modifications to our programs, information, services, and activities will be made to ensure people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy what Sutter County has to offer. Please make any requests for accommodations as far in advance as possible. Please contact the Risk Management Administrator with any questions, comments, or concerns.

William J. Vanasek

William Vanasek is the County Counsel for Sutter County.  William received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from California State University, Chico in 1988.  He earned his Juris Doctor from Cal Northern School of Law in Chico, California and was admitted to the State Bar of California and the United States Eastern District Court in 1995.  He received his California County Senior Executive credential from the CSAC Institute in 2019.  During law school, William held a full-time paralegal position at a law firm specializing in civil litigation. Upon graduation, he went to work for one of his professors in Yuba County specializing in tort and transactional litigation. In 2002, William left private practice and entered public service taking a position with the Yuba County Department of Child Support Services. In 2007, William joined the Sutter County Counsel’s Office and in 2012 was promoted to the position of Assistant County Counsel. While in Sutter County, William had the opportunity to represent all county departments and was responsible for handling all in-house litigation and supervising outside litigation.  He was responsible for all complex transactional matters and overseeing operation of the office. In 2019, William was appointed as Glenn County Counsel and was reappointed for a second term in 2023. As County Counsel, William expanded the services provided by the office and greatly reduced the need for outsourcing legal services.  In May of 2024, William returned to Sutter County when he was appointed as Sutter County Counsel.  The office currently represents numerous community service, fire protection, and levee districts as well as the Sutter County LAFCO.  In addition, William is active with the County Counsels’ Association of California and currently serves on the Litigation Review Committee, the Opinion Overview Committee, and is the Chair for the Ethics Committee.