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Board approves fiscal‑year 2026 public defender budget; office reports staffing challenges
Summary
The board approved the public defender’s FY26 budget; the public defender reported multiple attorney vacancies and ongoing recruitment efforts including outreach to law schools and interns.
Jones County commissioners on July 1 approved the public defender’s fiscal‑year 2026 budget after the office’s chief presented staffing needs and recruitment plans.
Miss Waller, who identified herself as responsible for four counties in the judicial circuit, said the FY26 budget is similar to the prior year and that the office is expanding line items for transparency. She told commissioners that an attorney, Mister Stroberg, left the office to become a juvenile prosecutor and that the office now has multiple attorney vacancies.
Waller described recruitment efforts including outreach to law schools and working with a third‑year law student interested in rural public defense. She emphasized incentives such as state benefits and a stable schedule to attract candidates and asked commissioners to refer potential recruits. "If any of you know anyone local or know anyone who wants to come back home ... I'd love for you to send them my way," she said.
Commissioner Jim moved to approve the budget and the board passed the motion by voice vote. County staff later told the commissioners that there was a modest rollover from last year but no significant outstanding budget issue requiring immediate action.
The public defender did not present a request for additional funds at the meeting; the approved budget was described as an updated line‑item presentation with similar overall funding to the prior year.
