The Chautauqua County Public Defender’s Office is looking to expand its footprint in the city of Dunkirk.

The Public Defender’s Office currently leases 775 square feet at City Hall, located at 342 Central Ave. They would like to nearly double that amount.

A lease amendment was passed by the legislature’s Public Safety Committee, allowing the Public Defender’s Office to lease 1,439 square feet of the second floor at City Hall at a cost of $2,150 per month beginning in March.

The full legislature must still give final approval.

“Presently, we lease two offices (in Dunkirk). “Originally we had two attorneys, a legal secretary, an eligibility examiner, and periodically an investigator and a caseworker would use that space,” Assistant Public Defender Derek Gregory said.

Since then, the Public Defender’s Office has added three additional attorneys and they would like to add an additional legal secretary.

The lease would add four additional office spaces.

Gregory said he believes the state Office of Indigent Services would pay for the additional space. If that falls through, there are other grants that the Public Defender’s Office can use.

Gregory said they may need some additional furniture, which is included in their budget for this year.

If approved, Gregory said they would like to move in by March or April.

Gregory added that having these staff assigned in Dunkirk will save mileage costs, since the attorneys assigned there generally handle all the north county cases.

The full legislature will vote on giving final approval at its meeting Wednesday night.