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Commission approves midyear indigent defense staffing additions and contract with Catherine Nestor
Summary
The Utah County Commission voted to add midyear staff to preserve current prosecution/defense capacity and authorized an agreement for indigent defense services with attorney Catherine Nestor; transcript gives justification but no contract dollar amounts.
The Utah County Commission on Sept. 24 approved a midyear staffing increase intended to maintain the county’s current level of prosecution and defense services and separately authorized an agreement for indigent defense services with attorney Catherine Nestor.
Commissioners said the staffing additions were intended to preserve service levels for both prosecutors and public defenders amid a high‑profile case and to ensure timely attention to victims and defendants. Commissioner Gardner framed the decision as balancing personal faith and public duty: "Scripture remind us reminds us that vengeance is the Lord's, and ultimately justice and mercy and grace belong to Christ alone. At the same time as an elected official who has sworn an oath to uphold the constitution of this great nation, I have a solemn duty as a steward of government to uphold the rule of law," Gardner said. "My public duty as a commissioner is to uphold the laws of justice. And in this way, I strive to honor both my faith and my oath of office."
Gardner said the staffing additions were meant to "maintain our current level of service" and to give attention to a high‑profile event while continuing support for victims of all crimes in the county. Another commissioner observed that the county will bear the expense and that the situation was "very unfortunate," but did not provide a detailed budget break‑out in the public record.
The commission then removed item 7 from the table and approved an agreement authorizing indigent defense services with Catherine Nestor. The transcript records motions and seconds for both the staffing item (item 3) and the agreement (item 7); both passed by voice vote. The record does not include a roll‑call vote tally or contract dollar amounts for the agreement.
There were no members of the public recorded addressing the commission on these items during the meeting, and the commission went into a closed session earlier in the agenda. The commission adjourned after approving the staffing changes and the agreement.
