KINGSTON The Ulster County Public Defender’s Office has submitted the final contract that will close out this administration’s effort to recoup funds that went unclaimed from 2014 through 2019. This final contract, which will be before the county legislature at its February meeting, will capture an additional $16,382, for a total of $1.58 million.
The recouped claims covered expenses such as rent, supplies, staff salaries, and technological investments that occurred during 2014 to 2019. Those funds were available to the county to provide equitable coverage for defendants in the justice system who cannot provide for their own defense.
In February of 2019, it was announced that subsequent to a multi-year financial analysis of the Public Defender’s Office it was discovered that nearly $2.5 million over six straight years in expected and budgeted operational revenue from the state had never been received. The discovery came while implementing County Executive Patrick Ryan’s first budget. The $1.6 million in recouped funds represents taxpayer dollars that were expended during this period, the additional $900,000 were budgeted but unexpended funds.
