HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-30-minutes-meeting-on-court-appointed-attorney-contracts11/30/21 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON CONFERENCE ROOM/WEBEX SPECIAL MEETING
TUESDAY 9:00 A.M NOVEMBER 30, 2021
Board members present: Chairman Brett Wachsmith, Vice-Chairman Laura
Osiadacz, and Commissioner Cory Wright.
Others: Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Sarah Keith, Superior
Court Administrator; Barb Demory, Lower District Court
Administrator; Diana MacKenzie, Upper District Court Administrator;
and Doug Mitchell, Deputy Prosecutor. SPECIAL MEETING PUBLIC DEFENSE COURTS
At 9:00 a.m. Chairman Wachsmith opened a Special Meeting to discuss
how to move forward with Court appointed Attorney contracts.
Sarah Keith, Superior Court Administrator, provided an update on
some recent changes from the Office of Public Defense and the Courts
current caseloads. She said the Courts were beginning to run out of
attorneys who are interested in contracting for services. She
described one of the benefits of having a Public Defenders office is
that the attorneys would be employed by the County including
benefits. There are a few other counties who have a Public Defense
Office and reviewed their structure. Budget impacts would include
hiring approximately 4 attorneys and a couple of staff members. A
location for the office needs to be identified. She said they will
continue to receive funding as long as they are working on a plan
and noted they have a target date of 2024.
The Courts will begin working together on the next step of creating
a roster of individuals that will begin meeting together to study
funding options and it would most likely include representatives
from the Prosecutors office, the Courts, and a County Commissioner.
The Court Administrators said they would place next year’s contracts
for public defense services on Tuesday’s Commissioners Agenda.
Meeting adjourned at 9:46 a.m. KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS CLERK OF THE BOARD KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Julie Kjorsvik Brett Wachsmith, Chairman