Agenda Item # 2
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
08/27/13
Agenda Report # 18
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: FY14 Public Defender Contract
INITIATED BY: Finance Department
Recommendation: Approval is requested to enter into an agreement for Indigent
Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender's Office of the Chattahoochee
Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount of $1,358,254 from July 2013
to June 2014 and authorize payment to Georgia Public Defender Standards Council
(GPDSC) for $853,077 and for $42,654, 5% administrative fee (GPDSC payment is
included in the total amount of $1,324,670); authorize the Mayor and/or City
Manager to have signature authority.
Background: The Circuit Public Defender will provide public defender personnel
in Superior and Juvenile Court totaling $1,358,254 of which $853,077 and an
administrative fee of $42,654 is paid in monthly installments to the GPDSC for
a total of $895,731. These services include payroll, fringe benefits,
training, travel, computer hardware, computer software and legal research
software. Support staff and operational expenses are funded in the FY14 budget
for a total of $462,524. Included in this contract is two additional Assistant
Public Defenders funded from the new 2009 Other Local Option Sales Tax. In the
contract, the prorated share of all costs are outlined as follows: Muscogee -
$1,213,362; Chattahoochee - $5,000; Harris - $100,506; Marion - $11,896; Talbot
- $11,922; Taylor - $15,568 for a total of $1,358,254. 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.
Financial Considerations: The agreement is budgeted in the FY14 Adopted Budget.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: This is an annual contract.
Legal Considerations: The Columbus Consolidated Government is eligible to enter
into this contract.
Recommendations/Actions: Approval is requested to enter into an agreement for
Indigent Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender's Office of the
Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount of $1,358,254
from July 2013 to June 2014 and authorize payment to Georgia Public Defender's
Standards Council (GPDSC) for $853,077 and for $42,654, 5% administrative fee
(GPDSC payment is included in the total amount of $1,324,670); authorize the
Mayor and/or City Manager to have signature authority.
A RESOLUTION
NO____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE
SERVICES BETWEEN CIRCUIT PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT AND MUSCOGEE COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,358,254 FROM JULY 2013 TO JUNE
2014 AND AUTHORIZE PAYMENT TO THE GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER STANDARDS COUNCIL
(GPDSC) IN THE AMOUNT OF $895,731 PAID IN MONTHLY INSTALLMENTS OF WHICH IS
INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT.
WHEREAS, the Circuit Public Defender's 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 $895,731 for state paid personnel
and administrative fee for the period of July 2013 to June 2014 and Columbus
Consolidated Government personnel and operating expenses of $462,524 with
Muscogee County?s prorated share of all expenses to be $1,213,362.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the Mayor and the City Manager are hereby authorized to enter into an
agreement for Indigent Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender's
Office of the Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount
of $1,358,254 from July 2013 to June 2014 and authorize payment to the GPDSC
paid in monthly installment of $853,077 plus the administrative fee of $42,654
which, is included in the total amount; and authorize the Mayor and City
Manager to have signature authority.
_______________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on
the____ day of _____, 2013 and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of ____ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_____________________________
________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council , Mayor
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