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Commissioners approve amendment boosting Public Defenders funding: four attorneys, a social worker and 4% for Q3–Q4
Summary
The board approved the fifth amendment to the Utah County Public Defenders Association contract to fund four new attorneys, one social worker, a 4% pay adjustment for quarters 3–4, and $503,000 for additional defense resources; commissioners debated backdating raises and asked HR to run a parity study.
Utah County commissioners approved a contract amendment that increases funding for the Utah County Public Defenders Association, adds staff and provides a near-term salary adjustment.
Staff said the Public Defenders Association — a local nonprofit that provides indigent defense — had requested funding to hire additional attorneys and parity pay increases to align pay with county prosecutors. County staff presented audit results and three funding tiers; commissioners debated the size and timing of raises and whether any pay increases should be retroactive. Commissioner Gardner opposed retroactive pay increases for a third-party vendor, calling it "unprecedented and frankly ridiculous" to backdate raises for a vendor when county employees are not given past raises. The commissioners discussed parity studies and asked Human Resources to run a formal parity analysis.
After deliberation, the board approved a package that includes a 4% overall increase (2% COLA + 2% step), funding for four new attorney positions and one social worker for the Public Defenders Association, and an additional $503,000 earmarked for defense resources (including capital-case coverage). Staff later provided an estimate that applying a 4% adjustment for quarters 3 and 4 would cost roughly $126,147.02 for the remainder of the year; full-year estimates were also discussed.
The motion passed on a voice vote after a mover, a second and recorded 'aye' responses.
