Public Defender says office relocation will save money and avoid conflicts
NORWICH – The Chenango County Public Defender's Office is seeking changes to its administrative lineup that it says will help the department run more smoothly and efficiently.
Public Defender John Cameron told the county's Safety and Rules Committee last week that his department may see annual savings of up to $25,000 if changes are carried out. Those changes include the refill of an existing clerical assigned council administrator position and the creation of a new office manager position.
The current assigned council administrator took the job in the early 2000s. Since then, they've advanced their career, assuming more responsibilities in the Public Defender's Office as a paralegal and thereby making assigned council a second priority, said Cameron. He recommended the county hire a new person for the job with an approximate yearly pay of $28,000, footed by county taxpayers. Next, he asked for creation of a new office manager position – to be filled by the current assigned council administrator – which will be entirely paid by New York State grants.
All this, said Cameron, may actually save the county $15,000 to $25,000 annually, since the person who currently assigns council is paid nearly $20,000 more than the recommended pay of a new administrator.
The catch is that if state grant money goes away, the office manager job would go away too.
“Because of this grant, you're revamping your whole office,” Safety and Rules Committee Chair Charles Mastro told Cameron. “If that grant goes away, it's a lot of money. Things would have to go back to the way they were.”
Cameron's additionally requesting a new location for the assigned council administrator. The job is responsible for matching cases to assigned council. The problem, said Cameron, is that person is now stationed in the public defender's office which creates “an inherit conflict of interest.”
“The state has said we need to get [that position] out of our office,” Cameron told county officials, adding his belief that despite the conflict, the department has always acted prudently. “We have an interest in who gets which cases, and we shouldn't have an interest like that.”
Cameron's proposal was moved by committee members to go before the Personnel Committee later this month. If changes are finally approved by county officials, they would be accommodated in the Public Defender's 2020 budget.
Public Defender John Cameron told the county's Safety and Rules Committee last week that his department may see annual savings of up to $25,000 if changes are carried out. Those changes include the refill of an existing clerical assigned council administrator position and the creation of a new office manager position.
The current assigned council administrator took the job in the early 2000s. Since then, they've advanced their career, assuming more responsibilities in the Public Defender's Office as a paralegal and thereby making assigned council a second priority, said Cameron. He recommended the county hire a new person for the job with an approximate yearly pay of $28,000, footed by county taxpayers. Next, he asked for creation of a new office manager position – to be filled by the current assigned council administrator – which will be entirely paid by New York State grants.
All this, said Cameron, may actually save the county $15,000 to $25,000 annually, since the person who currently assigns council is paid nearly $20,000 more than the recommended pay of a new administrator.
The catch is that if state grant money goes away, the office manager job would go away too.
“Because of this grant, you're revamping your whole office,” Safety and Rules Committee Chair Charles Mastro told Cameron. “If that grant goes away, it's a lot of money. Things would have to go back to the way they were.”
Cameron's additionally requesting a new location for the assigned council administrator. The job is responsible for matching cases to assigned council. The problem, said Cameron, is that person is now stationed in the public defender's office which creates “an inherit conflict of interest.”
“The state has said we need to get [that position] out of our office,” Cameron told county officials, adding his belief that despite the conflict, the department has always acted prudently. “We have an interest in who gets which cases, and we shouldn't have an interest like that.”
Cameron's proposal was moved by committee members to go before the Personnel Committee later this month. If changes are finally approved by county officials, they would be accommodated in the Public Defender's 2020 budget.
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