Title
District Attorney recommending the Board adopt Resolution 178-2011 establishing an imprest cash fund in the amount of $300 for the Victim Witness program.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: None.
Background: Under Resolution 305-2005 the Board of Supervisors established an imprest cash fund in the amount of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00), Three Hundred Dollars ($300) each for the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe Offices of the El Dorado County District Attorney.
Reason for Recommendation: Under normal circumstances witnesses are subpoenaed for cases and provided a Witness Expense Form upon completion of their testimony. At that point a claim voucher is sent to the Auditors Office paying $35.00 per day for witness fees as stipulated under GC 68093 along with meals and mileage at $.20 per mile. Due to the complexity of handling witnesses there are occasions in which witnesses don't have the necessary funds to provide meals for themselves or fuel for their vehicles in order to make their appearance. Depending on the number of witnesses and imprest cash fund activity there are often not enough funds to pay the witnesses their witness fee upon arrival. By creating an imprest cash fund specific to victim witness assistance the department will have more flexibility in handling witness expenses as needed. It is the departments policy to only use the imprest cash fund if the witness has indicated there is a financial hardship. All other requests will be processed after witness testimony using a claim voucher to the Auditors Office.
Action to be taken following Board approval: Resolution to be signed by Board Chair and imprest cash fund established under Victim Witness Assistance in the amount of Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00).
Contact: Jodi Albin, 6421