Retiring Commonwealth’s Attorney James Ennis has been hired as the county attorney for Prince Edward County.

County supervisors also voted to hire departing Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Brian Butler as deputy county attorney, making $150 per hour.

The board took the action on Tuesday night after a closed session regarding a public contract, personnel and pending litigation.

Ennis will be paid $200 per hour during his contract term, which begins Jan. 1, 2016, and ends June 30, 2017, according to County Administrator Wade Bartlett.

Butler — who was defeated by Commonwealth’s Attorney-elect Megan Clark in a June Democratic Primary — will have the same contract dates as that of Ennis.

“As in all matters, some people know more about some things than others,” Bartlett said. “So we will use Brian when he has more knowledge on a topic and/or Ennis is not available.”

Clark previously said that she was not interested in serving as county attorney.

Butler has served as a prosecutor in the commonwealth’s attorney’s office for several years and has decided leave the office.

Ennis has served as commonwealth’s attorney for 24 years.

“It’s not new. I’ve been doing it since 2007,” Ennis said. “I was glad to see that the board wants to continue my services in that capacity.”

Ennis said he would be in private practice “but I’m only going to have one client. I’m only going to represent the county. Instead of having a full-time job and a part-time job I’m going to retire back to just a part-time job.”