Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item #________



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting



July 30, 2002



Agenda Report # ___________





TO: Mayor and Councilors



SUBJECT: State Court Budget Transfer



INITIATED BY: Finance Department





Recommendation: Approve an ordinance amending the State Court FY03 budget from

$489,674 to $454,674 and amending the Public Defender FY03 budget from $963,672

to $998,672 to provide funding for two State Court Public Defenders.



Background: Council approved two Public Defenders for the State Court in the

FY 03 budget process in the amount of $80,000. Additonal funding of $45,000

was approved on the add/delete list. The two State Court Public Defenders will

be contract employees assigned to the State Court. All publics defenders are

contract employees and administered from the Public Defenders budget. When the

budget was implemented, the initial funding of $35,000 remained in the State

Court budget and should be transferred to the Public Defenders budget where the

additional $45,000 was budgeted.



Analysis: The transfer will provide the funding to account for the State Court

public defenders in the Public Defenders budget.



Alternatives: Account for the two public defenders in the State Court budget.



Financial Considerations: None.



Legal Considerations: The need for the Public Defenders in State Court is due

to recent Supreme Court ruling which requires that legal representation be

offered to the defendant when their offense my result in incarceration.



Recommendations/Actions: Approve an ordinance amending the State Court FY03

budget from $489,674 to $454,674 and amending the Public Defender FY03 budget

from $963,672 to $998,672 to provide funding for two State Court Public

Defenders.