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Commission approves $782,006 regional public defense budget; state IDC award covers part
Summary
Commission approved the Indigent Defense Commission (IDC) grant for public defender services; commissioners were told the program budget is $782,006.33 with an IDC award of $332,800 and a county share of $449,008.33.
The Carbon County Commission unanimously approved an Indigent Defense Commission grant application on June 19 that funds public defender services shared among cities and counties in the region.
Christian, who spoke during the review, summarized the recent history of public defense funding and advocacy, saying pressure from advocacy groups led the state to increase support: "Basically, there was a whole state was forced by the ACLU and several, public defender advocacy groups to up its funding for public defense," he said. He described the grant as providing more public defenders so attorneys can focus more on individual cases.
County staff reported the total budget for indigent defense services is $782,006.33. The IDC award is $332,800 and the county portion is $449,008.33. Staff said some funds may be used for expert witnesses and other case-specific needs.
A commissioner moved to approve the IDC grant; a second was recorded and the motion carried by voice vote.
Commissioners noted the grant does not allow the county to reduce its local funding commitment; the IDC requires counties to maintain their previous funding levels to avoid reductions in state support.
