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Hancock County finance committee votes not to renew conflict public defender contract
Summary
At its Oct. 14 special finance meeting, the Hancock County Special Finance Committee voted not to renew the conflict public defender contract with Kurt Dittmer after discussing caseload; member Dennis Castlebury recused. Committee directed staff to review budget transfers to IT and recessed to Oct. 21.
Committee Chair Wayne Bollin presided over a special Hancock County Finance Committee meeting on Oct. 14, 2025, at the County Courthouse in Carthage where the panel voted not to renew the contract for conflict public defender Kurt Dittmer.
The committee discussed the role and workload of the conflict public defender and asked visitor Matt Thor about the defender’s caseload; the transcript does not provide specific numbers. Committee member Steve Lucie moved to not renew the contract with Dittmer; Harry Douglas seconded the motion. Member Dennis Castlebury recused himself from that vote because Dittmer is his lawyer. The remaining members — Chair Wayne Bollin, Harry Douglas, Joe Boyles, Steve Lucie, Lee Ann Lambert and Alex Blythe — voted yes and the motion carried.
Following the vote, Mr. Greeley was directed to review department budgets to identify reductions that could be moved into the county’s IT budget; the minutes record further budget discussion but do not specify amounts or line items. That directive was recorded as an instruction to staff rather than a formal budget appropriation.
The committee then voted to recess until Oct. 21, after the full Hancock County board meeting. Member Dennis Castlebury made the motion to recess; Alex Blythe seconded and all members present voted aye. The special finance meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.
Next steps recorded in the minutes include Greeley’s budget review to identify potential transfers to IT and the scheduled recess until the full board convenes Oct. 21.
