Columbus, Georgia

Georgia's First Consolidated Government

Post Office Box 1340
Columbus, Georgia, 31902-1340
(706) 653-4013
fax (706) 653-4016

Council Members

Agenda Item # 1



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting

July 10, 2007



Agenda Report # 165





TO: Mayor and Councilors



SUBJECT: FY08 Public Defender Contract



INITIATED BY: Finance Department

________________________________________________________________________________

__



Recommendation: Approval is requested to enter into an agreement for Indigent

Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender Office of the Chattahoochee

Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount of $1,221,831 from July 2007

to June 2008; authorize the Mayor to have signature authority.



Background: The Circuit Public Defender will provide public defender personnel

in Superior and Juvenile Court in consideration of an administrative fee of 7%

($49,848). These services include payroll, fringe benefits, training, travel,

computer hardware, computer software and legal research software. Additional

support staff and operational expenses are funded in the FY08 Budget. In the

contract, the prorated share of costs are outlined as follows: Muscogee -

$1,114,310; Chattahoochee - $3,666; Harris - $69,644; Marion - $9,775; Talbot -

$10,996; Taylor - $13,440 for a total of $1,221,831. Muscogee County acts as

the fiscal agent for the Circuit Public Defender.



Analysis: The Circuit Public Defender, City Attorney?s Office and the Finance

Department have reviewed this contract. The contract includes a $14,000 local

supplement for the Public Defender that was not included in the FY08 Adopted

Budget.



Financial Considerations: The administrative fee of $49,848 is included in the

FY08 Budget along with personnel and operating costs of $445,873.



Legal Considerations: The Columbus Consolidated Government is eligible to enter

into this contract.



Recommendations/Actions: Approve an agreement for Indigent Defense Services

between Circuit Public Defender Office of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit

and Muscogee County in the amount of $1,221,831 from July 2007 to June 2008 and

authorize the Mayor to have signature authority.







A RESOLUTION

No.______



A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPROVAL TO ENTER INOT AN AGREEMENT FOR INDIGENT

DEFENSE SERVICES BETWEEN CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT AND MUSCOGEE COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,171,983 FROM JULY 2007

TO JUNE 2008 AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE OF $49,848 PAID TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE

OFFICE OF THE COURTS (AOC);



WHEREAS, the Circuit Public Defender Office of the Chattahoochee Judicial

Circuit was created in January 2005 by the Georgia Indigent Defense Act of 2003

and provides that a consolidated government may contract with the circuit

public defender for the provision of criminal defense for indigent persons in

Superior and Juvenile courts; and,



WHEREAS, the contract specifies the amount of $1,221,831 for personnel and

operating costs for the period of July 2007 to June 2008 and Muscogee County?s

prorated share of expenses to be $1,114,310.



NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:



That the Mayor and/or the City Manager is hereby authorized to enter into an

agreement for Indigent Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender Office

of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount of

$1,171,983 from July 2007 to June 2008 and the administrative fee of $49,848 to

the AOC, of which the prorated share for Muscogee County to be $1,114,310; and

authorize the Mayor to have signature authority.



Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on

the____ day of

_____, 2007 and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote of ____ members

of said

Council.



Councilor Allen voting _____

Councilor Anthony voting _____

Councilor Davis voting _____

Councilor Henderson voting _____

Councilor Hunter voting _____

Councilor McDaniel voting _____

Councilor Barnes voting _____

Councilor Baker voting _____

Councilor Turner Pugh voting _____

Councilor Woodson voting _____







___________________ _________________ _

Tiny B. Washington Jim Wetherington

Clerk of Council Mayor

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