In the recorded conversation, former mayor Bill Frederick described taking the public-defender position soon after law school and the challenges of launching the office with minimal statewide funding.

"When this was funded, the total funding for the entire ninth circuit, which was our 8 county circuit, was $15,500," Frederick said, explaining the allocation covered roughly one public defender and one assistant and left other needs unfunded. He described relying on volunteer services and local cooperation in several counties.

Frederick recounted approaching Orange County judges and officials with a budget that secured the funding he requested; by contrast, Seminole County initially moved to deny his request until he pointed out the higher jail costs the county would face if indigent defendants remained in custody for long pretrial periods.

The account is a first-person recollection of early public-defender operations and local budgeting choices; Frederick framed the episode as formative for his public-service career and as evidence of how administrative decisions affect county costs and justice access.