REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 19, 2024
FROM
THOMAS W. SONE, Public Defender
SUBJECT
Title
Employment Contract for the Second Chance Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Employment Contract with Loretta Ramirez as Deputy Public Defender IV, to support the Second Chance Program, for the estimated annual cost of $191,561 ($166,441 Salary, $25,120 Benefits), for the period of November 30, 2024 through December 31, 2026.
(Presenter: Thomas W. Sone, Public Defender, 382-3950)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The estimated annual cost of the employment contract with Loretta Ramirez is $191,561. The employment contract will be funded by the Public Defense Pilot Program Grant (Grant). The Grant, established by the State of California Budget Act of 2021, has allocated $5,236,230 to the County for indigent defense services related to legislative criminal resentencing and parole reform initiatives. The Budget Act of 2023 allocated an additional $2,385,717 of grant funds to the County, as described in the companion Grant Agreement Amendment item, and extended the grant period to December 31, 2026. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Public Defender (Department) 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The contract position for Ms. Ramirez will support the Department’s Second Chance Program (Program), developed to pursue criminal sentencing and parole reforms, as well as conviction relief. The position will perform a variety of criminal defense litigation, including jury trials; prepare and defend cases before any court within the state; conduct legal research and prepare legal documents; zealously and competently represent each client; establish and maintain effective working relationships with prosecutors, judicial officers, court staff and other members of the criminal justice system; annotate files accurately; and recognize relevant issues.
Each party may terminate the contract at any time without cause with 14 days’ prior written notice to the other party. The County may terminate the contract immediately for just cause.
The Department continuously recruits for open contract positions, and interviews qualified candidates to assess their work experience and skills set. Ms. Ramirez applied for the position, was interviewed, and was selected to fill the vacant position.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Resources (Gina King, Assistant Director, 387-5571) on October 30, 2024; County Counsel (Scott Runyan, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5462) on October 30, 2024; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on October 31, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 4, 2024.