Kendall County court forms committee to review regional public defender participation after DA raises pay and lease concerns

Kendall County's commissioner's court voted on May 5 to form a committee to review the county's continued participation in the Hill Country Regional Public Defender's Office and whether the county should provide notice of intent to opt out of the interlocal agreement. The motion to appoint a review committee passed 4 to 1.

Cole Bishop, identified in the meeting as the county's district attorney, told the court the review was prompted by "pay disparity" and what he described as unusually high salaries and a costly six-year lease for the PDO's office. Bishop told commissioners the packet included documents showing a six-year lease costing "$1,222,928.98" (as presented in the packet) and questioned job-description changes and salary supplements awarded after grant funding. "If this is gonna continue ... I would really like to consider bowing out of this," Bishop said, urging fiscal fairness for county prosecutors.

Attorneys and commissioners discussed alternatives, including reinstating a "wheel" appointment system that would allow private attorneys from San Antonio and elsewhere to take appointed cases rather than a regional PDO. An attorney introduced by the court as Mr. Lipo said a reinstituted wheel could draw lawyers from the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and provide a wider pool of attorneys; he noted the county's pretrial services and timing of appointment notices would make the wheel feasible.

Commissioner discussion emphasized the need to hear all stakeholders before taking any opt-out steps. The court's motion names members for the committee including Judge Shane Sawarczyk, Commissioner Andrew Wiegand, a representative from the district attorney's office and one or both district judges, with an additional member from the local defense bar to be added. No immediate opt-out of the interlocal agreement took place; the court directed staff and the committee to collect cost and operational numbers and report back. The interlocal agreement requires 90 days' notice prior to the agreement expiration if the court decides to opt out; the agreement's expiration was described in the meeting as September 30 of the current fiscal year.

The committee vote was recorded as 4 in favor and 1 opposed; the court specifically noted commissioners from precincts 1, 2 and 4 and the judge were in favor and the precinct 3 commissioner opposed the committee motion.