[Vision2020] P.D. contract discussion with BOCC
DonaldH675@aol.com
DonaldH675@aol.com
Tue, 13 Jan 2004 19:26:21 EST
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January 13, 2004
=20
Dear County Commissioners,
=20
Thank you for listening and responding to my concerns. I appreciate your=20
willingness to discuss the issue of oversight of Latah County's public defen=
ders=20
with me. Thank you also to Bill Thompson, Robin Eckmann, Susan Petersen and=
=20
Charles Kovis for attending the meeting and adding to my understanding of th=
e=20
situation. I still have some concerns, but, if necessary, we can continue to=
=20
chat about these over the next several months.
=20
If I understood correctly, there is an informal arrangement for evaluating=20
the responses to the county=E2=80=99s RFPs (Request for Proposals). After r=
eceiving a=20
proposal, the commissioners discuss it with sitting judges and Bill Thompson=
=20
reviews proposals for legal credentials and appropriate experience. Ultimat=
ely,=20
you decide based on these recommendations (and the proposed cost) whether or=
=20
not to award the contract. Do I understand this procedure correctly? There=
=20
is apparently no written documentation of the process, and currently no=20
transparent way for a citizen to understand how or why a decision to award t=
he public=20
defender contract is/was made. Can you help me to understand why IC=20
67-2320(2)(b), as noted in the material Commissioner Kimmell sent to me, doe=
s not=20
apply to your selection of the winning bid?
=20
IC 67-2320(2)(b)=20
Establish and make available to the public the criteria and procedures used=20
for the selection of qualified persons or firms to perform such services.
=20
With respect, I must also ask once again that you consider amending current=20
contracts to include the provisions as stated in Idaho Code 19-864 (b):
The public defender in those counties electing to establish and maintains=20
such an office, shall submit an annual report to the board of county=20
commissioners showing the number of persons represented under this act, the=20=
crimes=20
involved, the outcome of each case, and the expenditures (totaled by kind) m=
ade in=20
carrying out the responsibilities imposed by this act. A copy of the report=
=20
shall also be submitted to each court having criminal jurisdiction in the=20
counties that the program serves.
=20
The adoption of this section of Idaho Code will increase accountability and=20
oversight while in no way increasing for the county the cost of the public=20
defenders=E2=80=99 contract. It is my sense that even if the prosecutor wis=
hed to=20
scrutinize the hours the public defender spent on a case, as Mr. Kovis expla=
ined to=20
us, there is still an overriding public interest in transparency and=20
accountability. Whether or not Mr. Thompson and his staff are aware of the=20=
exact amount=20
of time involved in defending a complex case does not change the commitment=20
that the public defender makes to his or her client. It seems to me that, i=
n=20
the case of a serious crime, Mr. Thompson would naturally assume that the=20
defense is spending a great deal of time on the case.
=20
I look forward to your answers to these important questions. As usual, I wil=
l=20
share this letter with participants of the local chat group, Vision 2020. I=
f=20
possible, I would appreciate a written response. =20
=20
Sincerely,
=20
Rosemary Huskey
1738 Genesee Troy Road
Moscow, Idaho 83843
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=3D "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"><HEAD>
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t=3Dutf-8">
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<BODY style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff=
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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:date Month=3D"1" Day=
=3D"13" Year=3D"2004"><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>January 13, 20=
04</FONT></st1:date></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Dear <st1:place><st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:Pl=
aceName>Commissioners</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>,</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Thank you for listening and responding to my concerns.<SPAN s=
tyle=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I appreciate your willingness to di=
scuss the issue of oversight of <st1:place><st1:PlaceName>Latah</st1:PlaceNa=
me> <st1:PlaceType>County's</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> public defenders wit=
h me.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thank you also to Bill=20=
Thompson, Robin Eckmann, Susan Petersen and Charles Kovis for attending the=20=
meeting and adding to my understanding of the situation. I still have some c=
oncerns, but, if necessary, we can continue to chat about these over the nex=
t several months.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>If I understood correctly, there is an informal arrangement f=
or evaluating the responses to the county=E2=80=99s RFPs (Request for Propos=
als).<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>After receiving a propo=
sal, the commissioners discuss it with sitting judges and Bill Thompson revi=
ews proposals for legal credentials and appropriate experience.<SPAN style=
=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Ultimately, you decide based on these r=
ecommendations (and the proposed cost) whether or not to award the contract.=
<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Do I understand this procedu=
re correctly?<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is appare=
ntly no written documentation of the process, and currently no transparent w=
ay for a citizen to understand how or why a decision to award the publi=
c defender contract is/was made.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =
; </SPAN>Can you help me to understand why IC 67-2320(2)(b), as noted in the=
material Commissioner Kimmell sent to me, does not apply to your selection=20=
of the winning bid?</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>IC 67-2320(2)(b) </FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I style=3D"mso-bidi-font=
-style: normal"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">Establish and=20=
make available to the public the criteria and procedures used for the select=
ion of qualified persons or firms to perform such services.<o:p></o:p></FONT=
></FONT></I></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=
=3D"Times New Roman">With respect, I must also ask once again that you consi=
der amending current contracts to include the provisions as stated in Idaho=20=
Code 19-864 (b):<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I style=3D"mso-bidi-font=
-style: normal"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman">The public def=
ender in those counties electing to establish and maintains such an office,=20=
shall submit an annual report to the board of county commissioners showing t=
he number of persons represented under this act, the crimes involved, the ou=
tcome of each case, and the expenditures (totaled by kind) made in carrying=20=
out the responsibilities imposed by this act. A copy of the report sha=
ll also be submitted to each court having criminal jurisdiction in the count=
ies that the program serves.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></I></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>The adoption of this section of Idaho Code will increase acco=
untability and oversight while in no way increasing for the county the cost=20=
of the public defenders=E2=80=99 contract.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">=
</SPAN>It is my sense that even if the prosecutor wished to scrutiniz=
e the hours the public defender spent on a case, as Mr. Kovis explained to u=
s, there is still an overriding public interest in transparency and accounta=
bility. <SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Whether or not Mr. Th=
ompson and his staff are aware of the exact amount of time involved in defen=
ding a complex case does not change the commitment that the public defender=20=
makes to his or her client. <SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I=
t seems to me that, in the case of a serious crime, Mr. Thompson would natur=
ally assume that the defense is spending a great deal of time on the case.</=
FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=
=3D"Times New Roman">I look forward to your answers to these important quest=
ions. As usual, I will share this letter with participants of the local chat=
group, Vision 2020.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If possi=
ble, I would appreciate a written response.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"=
> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Sincerely,</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Rosemary Huskey</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:Street><st1:address>=
<FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>1738 Genesee Troy Road</FONT></st1:a=
ddress></st1:Street></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place><FONT size=3D3=
><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><st1:City>Moscow</st1:City>, <st1:State>Idah=
o</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode>83843</st1:PostalCode></FONT></FONT></st1:plac=
e></P></BODY></HTML>
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