The Hill Country Regional Public Defenders Office (HCRPDO), which provides court‑appointed attorneys for low‑income defendants in Medina, Bandera, Kendall, Kerr and Gillespie counties, placed Chief Public Defender Karli Kennell on a 180‑day performance improvement plan at the end of April.
Oversight board action
The agency’s oversight board met on April 30, entered executive session for more than an hour, and then returned to open session to announce the plan. The board cited concerns in the categories “Communication and Professional Conduct” and “Accountability and Oversight,” including unprofessional communication with Medina County departments, misinformation about a judicial support document, and failure to follow Medina County budget procedures.
Prosecutors raise salary and space issues
Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop publicly questioned the salaries paid to HCRPDO staff and the cost of its downtown Boerne office. She noted that the 5,700‑square‑foot office rents for $14,533.27 per month, which she described as “prime real estate” compared with the tighter quarters used by her own prosecutors.
Salary records show the HCRPDO office manager receives about 40% more total compensation than the equivalent position in the Medina County District Attorney’s Office. The two deputy chiefs earn roughly 19% more than Medina County’s first assistant district attorney, despite having fewer years of legal experience. Similar disparities appear when compared with Kendall County’s chief assistant district attorneys.
County officials consider continued participation
Bishop urged Kendall County commissioners to press the oversight board for salary adjustments, warning that the county may reconsider its participation in the regional public defender program if concerns are not addressed. Commissioners approved a motion to review the county’s involvement, and oversight board member Andra Wisian, also a Kendall County commissioner, will be part of that discussion.
Defense of the office
Public defender Xoe Howard defended both the salaries and Kennell’s leadership, stating the office serves five counties and therefore requires additional resources. Howard emphasized that public defenders and prosecutors play different but equally important roles in protecting the community and that the Constitution provides for both positions.
Legal battle over plan documents
Medina County attempted to block the release of the performance plan, citing Texas Government Code provisions on intimate and embarrassing information. The Texas Attorney General ordered the county to release the record, noting the public’s legitimate interest in government employee performance.
Kennell has declined interview requests, and the corrective action plan is scheduled to expire next week.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
