A surge in complex guardianship and conservatorship cases – including a sprawling elderly abuse investigation involving stolen funds, seized property and hundreds of livestock – has left the county’s public administrator warning her three-person staff cannot keep pace with state-mandated duties. During a recent Ray County Commission session, Ray County Public Administrator Shannon Morris told commissioners her caseload has jumped 25% in the past year while staffing has dropped, leaving her unable to manage required visits, financial oversight and property inventories without additional help or costly overtime. “My caseload has increased 25% but at the same time, I’ve lost two part time people, one paid by the county, one paid by AARP,” said Morris. “AARP says, ‘Don’t look for the funding anytime soon.’ So I’m either going to have to start paying my employees overtime so we can get everything done that has to be done per state statute, or we’re going to have to hire somebody else.” …