MEETING DATE: 10/22/2019
DEPARTMENT: COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
DEPT HEAD/DIRECTOR: Ray Espinosa
AGENDA ITEM PREPARER: Dulce Alonso
SBC DEPT FILE NUMBER: 149
SUBJECT:
COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE - R. ESPINOSA
Approve Amendment No. 3 to contract with Arthur Cantu, extending the alternate public defender contract for an additional year, from October 31, 2019 to October 31, 2020, in the amount of 80,000 annually.
SBC FILE NUMBER: 149
AGENDA SECTION:
CONSENT AGENDA
BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:
On August 20, 2013, the Board entered into a contract with Arthur Cantu as an alternate to the primary contract with Gregory LaForge. It was amended in 2014 and 2017, and currently has an expiration date of October 31, 2019.
The total budget for the services of the public defender and two alternates is approximately $807,388 for FY 2019-2020. Of this amount, the base contract to the three primary public defenders is approximately $655,960. The remainder of costs are primarily for the additional levels of conflict public defender attorneys; and additionally, for costs of any homicide cases, investigators, and other indirect charges. The County currently has a cost effective model as compared to the likely expenses of having the public defenders as a County department.
The proposed amendment extends the contract by an additional year, and provides for a small increase in base attorney compensation to $80,000 annually and base investigator compensation to $35 per hour, not to exceed $1,080 per month, effective November 1, 2019. Additionally, for homicide cases, the agreement allows special compensation for public defender services in the amount not to exceed $25,000, and allows the CAO's office to set additional compensation for investigators in an amount not to exceed $9,000 annually, except as otherwise ordered by the Courts.
BUDGETED:
Yes