BATH – Steuben County legislators approved Monday a plan to cover as much as 80 percent of the felony cases handled by assignments, thereby reducing county costs. The Legislature approved increasing the part-time conflict defender position to full time, effectively reducing the need to hire outside attorneys in the event of a conflict of interest for the Public Defender’s office. While mandated by the state, the cost of providing legal services to low income county residents becomes complicated if more than one individual is charged with related offenses, or in the event of family court disputes. In those instances, the county defends one individual while the others are assigned by the courts to independent counsel, at a cost to the county of $75 per hour. In 2016, the conflicts office handled 52 felony cases, at a savings of $100,000, according to county Public Defender Phil Roche. The salary increase, from the current $37,500 to $75,000 is expected to be paid largely through a state grant, Roche said. In other action Monday, legislators approved:
* Funding for $350,000 design costs to replace the County Road 66 bridge over the Canisteo River paid entirely through federal and state Marchiselli funding.
* Transferring $95,463 various Public Works Capital Projects to the Landfill SCADA System Capital Project. *Authorizing putting pavement grinder rental revenue into the pavement grinder repair/replacement Capital Project Account.
* Appointing members and representatives to various boards and agencies serving Steuben residents.
