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Discussion: <br />Section 925.037(3), Florida Statutes (1999), provides for the establishment of a <br />circuit conflict committee, the purpose of which is to "select and approve attorneys for all <br />appointments pursuant to ss.27.53(3) and 925.035." §925.037(4), Fla. Stat. (1999). <br />Special appointed public defenders are appointed to represent indigent defendants in <br />cases in which the Public Defender cannot represent the defendant because of a conflict <br />of interest. The conflict committee is composed of the chief judge or the chief judge's <br />designee, a representative of each board of county commissioners within the judicial <br />circuit, and the Public Defender. The Board's representative should be designated by <br />resolution. §925.037(3)(b), Fla. Stat. (1999). It is also suggested that Resolution 98-118, <br />designating former Assistant County Attorney Terrence P. O'Brien as the Board's <br />representative on the circuit conflict committee, be rescinded. <br />It is anticipated that the County's responsibility to fund special public defenders will <br />be phased out in a few years upon the implementation of Revision 7 to Article V of the <br />state constitution. Meanwhile, it is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners <br />designate the county attorney or his designee as the Board's representative on the circuit <br />conflict committee. Incidentally, to ensure Indian River County's continued representation <br />since Mr. O'Brien's departure, I attended a recent meetino of the conflict committee. <br />ON MOTION by Commissioner Grin, SECONDED BY <br />Commissioner Macht, the Board unanimously (4-0, <br />Commissioner Tippin absent) adopted ResolutionNo. 2000-082 <br />designating the County Attorney, or his designee, as the Board's <br />representative on the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Conflict <br />Committee and rescinded Resolution No. 98-118. <br />RESOLUTION 2000- 082 <br />A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY <br />COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER <br />COUNTY, FLORIDA, DESIGNATING THE <br />COUNTY ATTORNEY OR HIS DESIGNEE AS <br />THE BOARD'S REPRESENTATIVE ON THE <br />NINETEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CONFLICT <br />COMMITTEE, AND RESCINDING <br />RESOLUTION NO. 98-118. <br />WHEREAS, Section 925.037(3), Florida Statutes (1999), provides for the <br />establishment of a circuit conflict committee, the purpose of which is to "select and approve <br />attorneys for all appointments pursuant to ss.27.53(3) and 925.035." §925.037(4), Fla. <br />Stat. (1999); and <br />a <br />August 15, 2000 <br />34 <br />,`, <br />_I <br />