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Lander County stalls decision on weekend pretrial hearing stipends after lengthy debate
Summary
County commissioners debated whether to continue paying a $450 weekend stipend for pretrial release hearings after state pre-funding expired. Commissioners split over taxpayer cost, PERS implications and ethics; the board left the matter unresolved and asked legal staff for a litigation briefing before deciding.
Lander County commissioners spent much of the morning weighing whether to continue a $450 weekend stipend intended to cover prosecutors, defense counsel and, in some interpretations, justices of the peace for pretrial release hearings after state pre-funding expired. County counsel presented options including (A) prepaying the stipend; (B) prepaying but deducting PERS; (C) paying only when a hearing is held; and (D) paying only when a hearing is held but deducting a portion to cover PERS costs. The Department of Indigent Defense informed counties that funds remain available but that counties now must front the cost and request reimbursement.
