Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Court Appointed Attorneys topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Aitkin County sets interim pay for court‑appointed child‑protection attorneys at $125 and directs RFP for flat‑fee contracts
Summary
After local attorneys raised concerns about low pay, the board voted to raise the county’s court‑appointed‑attorney rate to $125 for FY2026 and directed staff to prepare an RFP for a flat monthly contract to stabilize costs and billing timelines.
County administrator Dave told the board that court‑appointed attorneys in child‑protection cases have expressed frustration with long‑standing compensation levels and that a local survey showed nearby counties generally pay more. The administrator presented three options: do nothing and allow ad‑hoc billing, raise the hourly rate, or pursue a flat monthly contract through a formal RFP.
Commissioners discussed budgetary implications, geographic travel time for attorneys and the administrative burden of variable billing. "It's probably 3 or 4 months to write it up, get it out, get responses, evaluate the responses, contract," the administrator said about an RFP timeline. Several commissioners expressed support for an immediate interim increase to $125 per hour as a compromise and for developing an RFP to seek a flat‑fee contractor.
The board moved to set the rate at $125 for fiscal year 2026 and asked staff to develop and return with an RFP for board review. Staff noted an RFP and potential contract would include standard payment timelines to reduce late billing issues.
