Gillespie County Commissioners met on Monday to discuss amending the Hill Country Regional Public Defender Office Interlocal Agreement.

The Public Defender Office (PDO) is in its first year for Gillespie County and is funded by a grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission.

The PDO exists to provide a network of attorneys available to clients who cannot afford to hire representation in both misdemeanor and felony cases.

Along with Gillespie County, the current PDO includes Kerr, Kendall, Bandera and Medina counties.

Kerr County currently serves as the fiscal agent for the agreement.

Following an Oversight Board meeting for the PDO last Friday, member counties were asked to approve Medina County as the new Fiscal Agent for the office.  

Judge Mark Stroeher and Commissioner Donnie Schuch attended as Gillespie County representatives on the board.

Stroeher mentioned that the Oversight Board meeting had some tense disagreement regarding the proposed allowance of four other counties into the PDO.

Atascosa, Frio, Wilson and Karnes counties had all expressed a desire to join the PDO agreement. Talks became heated during the Oversight Board meeting, as some representatives of the other counties threatened to disband from the office to reorganize with the new counties instead.

“It was close to fragmenting,” said Schuch, “and then that would not have been good for our county.”

Negotiations were made at the Oversight Board meeting, and the PDO agreed to remain with its current original five counties.

Schuch said, “I think cooler minds prevailed and what was done is the best thing for all of our citizens and for each county involved.”

Schuch and Stroeher both conveyed that the PDO has brought in quality attorneys.

“We’ve lost some good attorneys,” said Stroeher, “but they apparently have brought in some that they’re really happy with, some young attorneys that are really sharp.”

Gillespie County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve Medina County as the new Fiscal Agent for the PDO, pending the approval of the other member counties.

Agenda items:

Other agenda items of the April 25 meeting include:

·  Approved the installation of an entry gate to the Texas Forest Service apron by Straube Machine & Welding;

·  Amended the lease agreement with 224 Business Court LLC to include an increase in property;

·  Approved the hiring of personnel at Gillespie County Airport;

·  Authorized the Final Plat of The Hideout Ranch Subdivision in Precinct 2;

·  Authorized the Final Plat of J & R Dean Subdivision in Precinct 2;

·  Approved the amended replat of Lot 10 of the Kristen’s Hill Subdivision in Precinct 2;

·  Approved the advertising for hiring personnel for both the JP 2 office and the Sanitation/Floodplain office;

·  Authorized the purchase of two squashed metal culverts to be installed in Precinct 3;

·  Set time to canvass ballots at the IT office on May 16, at 8:30 a.m., for the May 7 Constitutional Amendment Election;

·  Approved annual maintenance of Quicklink-Lite for the County Clerk’s office;

·  Authorized county treasurer training for the HR director.

A complete listing of the agenda for the regular meeting on Monday, April 25 can be found at:

https://bit.ly/38p0NHO