LAWRENCE CO. PUBLIC DEFENDERS Official seeks office revamp

Commissioners will vote on the proposal Thursday.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County's chief public defender wants his office to take on more responsibility.
Harry O. Falls has asked county commissioners to revamp his office to have three full-time public defenders and make him full time. Falls and three of the four public defenders are now part time.
Falls explained the change should decrease the amount of money the county spends on legal costs for indigent people. He said because his office is largely part time, many cases are farmed out to other attorneys, including commitment hearings for mentally ill people and murder cases. With a full-time staff, the public defender's office could take on both, he said.
Falls said the county is now paying outside attorneys $50 an hour to handle these cases. His salaried public defenders would make about $30 an hour, he said. He added that murder cases where outside attorneys are hired cost the county an average of $20,000 in legal fees.
Falls' salary would be set at $48,000 per year, and the three assistant public defenders would make $41,500 annually.
Commissioners are expected to vote on the proposal at Thursday's annual salary board meeting.
In favor
Commissioner Steve Craig said he favors Falls' proposal because it will save the county money.
"I want to see a net increase in revenues or a net decrease in expenses," he said of any personnel changes.
County commissioners passed a 2004 budget earlier this month that called for an increase of nearly a mill.
All three county commissioners have said they will not add any new positions if it means more money from the county's general fund budget.
"We will all have to make due with what we have," Commissioner Dan Vogler said. "But if someone comes to us with an expenditure that is revenue neutral, I'm open to it."
cioffi@vindy.com