Judge Reese outlines probation office budget as state stops paying court interpreters

Judge Reese presented the probation and court office budget, describing a staff of about 13 employees and a mix of county, intercounty and grant funding that covers much of the office’s work.

He told commissioners the state recently announced it will no longer pay for court interpreters; the office requested about $7,000 and received $1,300 in a state grant, leaving the county to cover most interpreter costs while remaining legally required to provide language services. Reese also described a continuing shift at the state level on financing indigent defense: the state is piloting coverage of some public‑defender costs for misdemeanors and has increased public defender pay, which raises contract costs the county must absorb in the near term.

Reese said his office has pursued grants and third‑party funding aggressively, totaling approximately $2.15 million in recent years, and that those funds have limited the need for tax‑driven increases. He reported increases in petitions to revoke probation and other workload pressures and said he implemented a requested 5% cut to non‑personnel expenses. Reese asked the board to consider a 2% salary increase for his staff to align with county targets and urged commissioners to include staff in any across‑the‑board raises.

The presentation closed with the judge offering to share his supporting spreadsheet with commissioners and staff for review. The commissioners had no formal motion tied to the presentation; decisions on salaries and any supplemental appropriations were reserved for later budget votes.