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Commissioners press public defender for contract clarity and staffing classifications
Summary
At the March budget review, Public Defender Bob Lindmire explained office operations and said a longstanding operating line labeled "contract" has been used for expenses; commissioners asked staff to locate the contract, clarify whether deputy attorneys are classified as full-time for benefits, and account for increased workload tied to court appointments in paternity/child-support cases.
Lincoln County's public defender, Bob Lindmire, met with the Board of Commissioners to explain staffing, benefits and a recurring line item historically described as a 'contract' in the office budget. Commissioners said they had not seen a written contract and requested county staff locate the original document and clarify whether the line represents a formal contract or an operating expense.
Lindmire told the board his office has deputies working approximately 32 hours per week and that the office has long operated with a structure that allowed shared expenses; he said deputies receive health insurance and retirement but that the historical paperwork often labeled the county contribution as a contract/operating expense. He added that a Supreme Court decision requiring appointed counsel in some paternity and child-support proceedings increased the office's workload and contributed to higher operating costs.
Why it matters: commissioners said transparency around whether the county has a formal contract and how staff are classified (part-time vs. full-time for benefit eligibility or federal programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness) affects budgeting and personnel policy. Commissioners asked that the contract or the historical paperwork be found or, if there is no contract, that staff recommend how to capture the arrangement in the budget process.
What the board asked: locate any written contract or establish that none exists; clarify the official staff classification for deputy attorneys and corresponding benefits; provide itemized operating-expense numbers for the public defender's office and propose budget adjustments or structural changes to ensure transparency before the next budget cycle.
Next steps: county staff and commissioners agreed to follow up with document searches and bring a paper trail to the board in coming weeks; commissioners also signaled they want clearer explanations during budget review so elected officials can answer public questions.
