Referred to: The Ways and Means Committee (Chairman Gavaris and Legislators Collins, Hansut, Kovacs, Nolan, and Roberts)

Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, John Gavaris, and Deputy Chair Kevin A. Roberts offer the following:

WHEREAS, this resolution has been submitted at the request of the County Executive on behalf of the Department of Finance; and

WHEREAS, the Assigned Counsel Program provides legal services to eligible persons who cannot afford counsel in court cases in which the Ulster County Public Defender has a conflict or cannot otherwise provide representation in accordance with New York State County Law Article 18-B; and

          WHEREAS, the Assigned Counsel Administrator position is responsible for administering and implementing the Assigned Counsel Program; and

          WHEREAS, the Assigned Counsel Administrator salary is fully funded, by reimbursement, by the New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services (NYSOILS) Hurrell-Harring grant; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the NYSOILS Hurrell-Harring grant is to improve the quality of mandated indigent legal representation and to reduce excessive caseloads in indigent legal service provider programs; and

WHEREAS, the job description of the Assigned Counsel Administrator will be revised to reflect greater responsibility and independence from the Department of Finance, and will require a higher level of minimum qualifications; and

WHEREAS, the Full-Time salary of the Assigned Counsel Administrator is currently $83,906 and the NYSOILS Hurrell-Harring grant will reimburse the county up to $112,750 for the Assigned Counsel Administrator salary for NYS Financial Year 2024-2025; and

WHEREAS, the 2024 Ulster County Budget, has the position of the Assigned Counsel Administrator budgeted for full-time status but is currently filled with a part-time employee; and

WHEREAS, a full-time employee is required to perform the revised job duties of Assigned Counsel Administrator and the position has been filled by part-time employees until now; and

WHEREAS, in order to advertise the Full-Time Assigned Counsel Administrator position with revised job description and salary, an amendment of the 2024 budget is necessary; now, therefore, be it

          RESOLVED, that the 2024 County Budget is hereby amended as follows:

and moves its adoption.

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                    NOES:      

Passed Committee: Ways and Means on ________________.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

$35,514.00 – ADDITIONAL 2024 APPROPRIATION DOLLARS

$35,514.00 – ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUE DOLLARS