Agenda Item # 5
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
August 12, 2014
Agenda Report # 15
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: FY15 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 $1,378,444 from July 2014
to June 2015 and authorize payment to Georgia Public Defender Standards Council
(GPDSC) for $871,917 and for $43,596, 5% administrative fee (GPDSC payment is
included in the total amount of $1,378,444); 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 $1,378,444 of which $871,917 and an
administrative fee of $43,596 is paid in monthly installments to the GPDSC for
a total of $915,513. 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 FY15 budget
for a total of $462,931. Included in this contract are 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 - $1,233,552; Chattahoochee - $5,000; Harris - $100,506;
Marion - $11,896; Talbot - $11,922; Taylor - $15,568 for a total of
$1,378,444. 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 FY15 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 Office of the
Chattahoochee Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County in the amount of $1,378,444
from July 2014 to June 2015 and authorize payment to Georgia Public Defender
Standards Council (GPDSC) for $871,917 and for $43,596, 5% administrative fee
(GPDSC payment is included in the total amount of $1,378,444); 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 $1,378,444 FROM JULY 2014 TO JUNE
2015 AND AUTHORIZE PAYMENT TO THE GEORGIA PUBLIC DEFENDER STANDARDS COUNCIL
(GPDSC) IN THE AMOUNT OF $871,917 AND FOR $43,596, 5% ADMINISTRATIVE FEE (GPDSC
PAYMENT IS INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,278,444); AUTHORIZE THE MAYOR
AND/OR CITY MANAGER TO HAVE SIGNATURE AUTHORITY.
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 Circuit Public Defender will provide public defender personnel in
Superior and Juvenile Court
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 $1,378,444 from July 2014 to June 2015 and authorize payment to the Georgia
Public Defender Standards Council (GPDSC) for $871,917 and for $43,596, 5%
administrative fee (GPDSC payment in the total amount of $1,378,444); and
authorize the Mayor and/or City Manager to have signature authority.
_______________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia held on
the____ day of _____, 2014 and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of ____ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting ____________.
Councilor Baker voting ____________.
Councilor Barnes voting ____________.
Councilor Davis voting ____________.
Councilor Henderson voting ____________.
Councilor Huff voting ____________.
Councilor McDaniel voting ____________.
Councilor Thomas voting ____________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting ____________.
Councilor Woodson voting ____________.
________________________________
________________________
Sandra T. Davis, Deputy Clerk of Council , Mayor
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