The City Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the third amendment to the intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Office of the Alternate Defense Counsel (OADC) to provide court-appointed counsel for indigent defendants.

Council member Conder pulled the item from the consent agenda to ask for details about a substantial increase in the OADC cap shown in the amendment. Municipal Court Supervisor Jason Johnson explained the primary drivers for the change: the city converted from a flat-fee contract to the OADC hourly model in 2022, the number of billed hours for appointed counsel has increased (from roughly 153.4 hours in 2023 to 175.5 hours in the most recent period cited), and the state recently increased the permissible hourly rate from $80 to $100. Johnson also said the court has seen more complex and time-consuming competency and mental-health cases, which require multiple hearings and additional filings.

Johnson said his estimate reflected actual invoicing to date: “To date of 2024, we just got our final invoice. We did spend roughly $34,704 for 2024. So, that $35,000 amount is kind of where we're at now,” he said, describing the proposed $35,000 maximum as an anticipated ceiling rather than a committed monthly outlay.

Council members thanked Johnson for the explanation. The council then voted to approve the third amendment; the roll-call closing statement said the resolution passed unanimously.

Ending — implementation and budget notes

The amendment raises the maximum funding available for court-appointed counsel through the OADC program to reflect estimated hours and state-rate increases; municipal staff noted they will continue to track invoices month to month and that the amount is a maximum estimate. The approved resolution appears in the official meeting minutes and will be reflected in the city’s contracts and 2025 budgetary planning where appropriate.