Agenda Item # 4
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
January 31, 2017
Agenda Report # 4
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: FY17 Public Defender Contract Amendment
INITIATED BY: Finance Department
Recommendation: Approval is requested to the amend the agreement for Indigent
Defense Services between Circuit Public Defender Office of the Chattahoochee
Judicial Circuit and Muscogee County for additional services to Recorder?s
Court for Muscogee County from February 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 in the total
additional amount of $136,799; to authorize additional payment to Georgia
Public Defender Council (GPDC) for $109,268.00 and authorize direct payment of
additional personnel and operating expenses in the amount of $27, 531; and to
authorize the Mayor or City Manager to have signature authority.
Background: The Circuit Public Defender currently provides public defender
personnel in Superior and Juvenile Court paid in monthly installments to the
GPDSC for a total of $1,187,699. These services include payroll, fringe
benefits, training, travel, computer hardware, computer software and legal
research software. In addition, support staff and operational expenses are
funded directly in the CCG FY17 budget for a total of $454,282.
This amendment provides for indigent defense services to Recorder?s Court with
the addition of two attorneys, one investigator, an attorney for
Saturday/Holiday sessions at $150 per session paid directly to the attorney
assigned to each session ($3,230), supplements for the Chief Public Defender
and Chief Assistant Public Defender, and operating expenses for the 5 months
remaining the FY17, February 2017-June 2017. The GPDC is paid monthly for the
state funded attorneys plus a 5% administrative fee. The city provides the
investigators and operating expenses. The prorated share for the other
counties will not change. Muscogee County?s share will increase from
$1,482,494 to $1,619,293.
Analysis: The Circuit Public Defender, City Attorney?s Office and the Finance
Department have reviewed this contract.
Financial Considerations: The amendment will require additional funding.
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: Adopt attached Resolution authorizing the Contract
Amendment and increased payments to GPDC as outlined above.
Attachments
No attachments for this document.