Delta City Council members selected a duo of lawyers to serve as indigent defense attorneys in the city’s Justice Court.
The two lawyers’ bid was among three proposals submitted to the city ahead of a June 15 deadline. The city’s current public defender, Larry Hunt, also submitted a proposal, though city officials had previously said they were interested in seeking new representation for defendants who can’t afford to pay for legal services on their own.
The city chose the services of Provo lawyer Spencer Thomas and Orem attorney Greg Stewart, who both also serve as Millard County public defenders and who work for the Utah County Public Defender Association.
A proposal was also submitted by Spanish Fork attorney Aaron Wise. City Councilman Nick Killpack said he was please by the quality of all three proposals.
“I think we have some good candidates here. I feel good about our opportunities to make sure that the responsibility that we have to provide legal services to those who aren’t able to provide it themselves. Which is a requirement we have under the Constitution,” he said when the selection was made during the council’s June 21 meeting.
Councilman Brett Bunker said he favored Thomas and Stewart’s proposal because the city was essentially getting a second attorney in case any conflicts arise for one of them.
“I think we are getting what we’ve been wanting...it’s scary when you open up, what you’re going to get. Because you never really know…what if there’s nobody?” he asked. “I think this is a very good direction.”
Councilwoman Betty Jo Western, who was acting as mayor pro tem in Mayor John Niles’ absence, said she too favored the Thomas-Stewart proposal.
“I think Greg Stewart and Spencer Thomas would offer us great service for the price I think. That would be good,” she said.
At one point Western asked for a motion to accept the proposal, wondering whether the cost of the contracted services needed to be made public before a vote. The council decided not to reveal how much the city was spending.
Killpack made the motion to accept the Thomas-Stewart proposal, but added a stipulation allowing the current public defender to finish out any of his ongoing cases.
“And then to make a clean break, I propose that we accept this proposal and have these two individuals start on July 1,” the councilman said.
The motion passed unanimously.
Fillmore City is expected to make a similar move at its next council meeting on July 6, said City Attorney Elise Harris.
She confirmed Stewart and Thomas also submitted a proposal to serve as indigent public defenders in Fillmore Justice Court as well.
