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Last updated on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Council Tuesday night appointed Councilman Gene McCracken to serve as council president and councilman Justin Mullis will service as vice president.
In other business, Chief Public Defender Lorinda Youngcourt asked the council to approve an Indiana Criminal Justice grant of $25,000.
The grant will look at indigent defense quality, and will be used to develop tools for public defenders to better serve their clients.
Youngcourt says Lawrence County is the first public defender offices to host and receive the grant.
Youngcourt says currently, there is no guidelines or tools for public defenders and when completed the findings will provide better quality control, efficiency and will allow public defenders to provide the best defense for their clients.
In other business the council approved:
* Auditor Jody Edwards to hire a new clerk, to fill a position that will open when a current employee retires.
* To allow Circuit Court Judge Andrea McCord to hire a new receptionist.
* To allow Sheriff Sam Craig to hire a dispatcher.
* County Surveyor Mike Arena, asked the commissioners to sign the contract to provide the county with 30 Degree North - the counties complete and integrated server-based geographic information system. Arena will pay for the program out of his budget.
* Darin Kinser told the council in January of this year President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) FY 2013.
The defense bill has some important implications for civil liberties. Kinser wants the council to support the commissioners on passing an ordinance to not allow federal officials to enter the county and use marshal law to disarm citizens and take control of local law enforcement offices.
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