Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Defender topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public defender warns of staffing losses and lower state funding as office seeks contractors
Summary
The Ottawa County public defender reported 14 attorney resignations since mid-2024, underspending in FY25, and plans to shift budgeted wage dollars into contracted attorneys while requesting roughly $942,000 from the state for next year.
The Ottawa County public defender summarized a year of disruptive personnel churn and budget adjustments that have changed how the office meets court obligations. Phil Silski told commissioners the office has lost 14 attorneys between June 2024 and February 2026, prompting temporary reliance on rostered contract lawyers to keep caseloads covered.
Silski said the office has been underspending relative to its allocations and is preparing a state funding request for the coming fiscal year. "I have it highlighted there. It's, toward the bottom, I believe it's gonna be 942,000," he said when discussing the state allocation. He added that the office spent roughly 73% of its FY25 allocation and is now planning its FY27 request with a lower figure from the state.
Silski explained why contracting is part of the response: while the office does not seek new permanent positions, MIDC permission allows moving salary savings from vacant attorney positions into contracts to cover casework without increasing overall costs. He also reported that overall caseloads have remained near 4,000 annual cases but noted seasonal fluctuations; the office was tracking about 45% of last year's case count at the time of his presentation.
The board did not take formal action on the funding request at the meeting; Silski said staff would submit the state application and continue to brief the administrator and finance staff as budget development proceeds.
