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Council delays decision on creating in‑house prosecution unit; asks for further budget review
Summary
City Attorney staff presented a plan to transition prosecution from a contract with Boise to an in‑house unit; staff estimated an eventual ongoing cost of about $2 million and recommended an ambitious January 2027 start, but council asked staff to return with more budget detail and deferred any FY26 amendment vote to the June 23 budget discussion.
City Attorney staff briefed Meridian’s council on a proposal to add prosecution services to the City Attorney’s Office and to transition misdemeanor prosecution work from the current contract with Boise to an in‑house team. Staff described courtroom coverage requirements under the county calendar, discovery and disclosure obligations, and a phased staffing plan that would start with a chief prosecutor and lead administrative support and build to a team capable of covering 7–10 courtrooms.
City Attorney staff said the FY27 ongoing cost estimate for a functioning in‑house prosecution unit would be in the neighborhood of $1.6–$2.0 million, including personnel and support. Staff proposed a rapid timeline (targeting an operational date early in calendar 2027) and asked for a budget amendment to begin hiring and to buy software and furniture; the initial budget amendment presented tonight focused on one‑time start‑up expenditures and funding for two hires to begin the staffing process.
Councilors raised several concerns: the difficulty of recruiting experienced prosecutors quickly, whether the court calendar could be adjusted to reduce simultaneous courtroom coverage, whether Boise City or Ada County could provide a phased transition or temporary coverage, and the fiscal tradeoffs given the levy revenue the city collected for the purpose. Several council members urged more planning time and preferred discussing personnel and the full FY27 impacts in the formal budget hearings. The council agreed to revisit the request during the FY27 budget process and asked staff to present the prosecution proposal in the June 23 budget discussions rather than vote on the budget amendment tonight.
Why it matters: Standing up an in‑house prosecution unit will change how Meridian handles municipal criminal cases, affect ongoing operational budgets, and alter case coverage in Ada County courts. Council directed staff to return with a more detailed hiring, fiscal and court‑coverage plan as part of the city’s formal FY27 budget deliberations.
