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Public defender asks court to restore previously approved expansion amid TIDC shifts
Summary
The public defender said Potter County’s net cost increase for the office would be about $30,000 despite overall expansion because smaller counties and TIDC reimburse much of the program; he urged restoring cuts made to positions that had been approved earlier in the year.
The public defender told commissioners his office had planned expansions and that, after oversight-board calculations and intercounty reimbursements, Potter County’s net increase for the next two years would be about $30,000. He said the office has already taken significantly more appointments this year than last ("Last year, we took 783 appointments. We've already taken over 1,200 appointments this year"), arguing that the extra workload will reduce payments to outside appointed counsel over time.
Commissioners questioned the net fiscal impact and whether previously approved positions could be reinstated; county staff noted that several positions were cut on Thursday but could be restored if the court chooses. The public defender asked the court to carry the previously approved budget forward to avoid disrupting services to partner counties and to preserve continuity in shared programs.
The court asked staff to continue working with the public defender to clarify net costs and to consider restoring lines where feasible before the judge’s final filing.
