(a) There is hereby established the position of Public Defender in the Mayor’s Court;
(b) The Public Defender shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to the concurrence and approval of a majority of the members elected to Council;
(c) No person shall be appointed and serve as Public Defender unless he or she has been admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio and is, at all times, in good standing with the Ohio Supreme Court;
(d) The Public Defender may be removed from office by the Mayor, with the concurrence of a majority of the members of Council;
(e) The Public Defender shall be under the administrative supervision of the Mayor and shall represent indigent persons referred to him or her by either the Mayor or any judge of the Parma Municipal Court. Such representation shall be at no cost to such indigent persons;
(f) The professional representation of indigent persons by the Public Defender shall be independent and free from any interference from any other Municipal employee;
(g) The salary of the Public Defender shall be ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) per annum, payable in equal monthly installments. The Public Defender’s monthly compensation shall at all times be not less than the State minimum amount required to earn one month of Public Employees Retirement System credit and shall be automatically adjusted during his or her terms of office if the State minimum is increased to a level in excess of his or her scheduled compensation for his or her current term.
(Ord. 95-2022. Passed 12-13-22.)