Wharton County is moving forward on a regional public defender office that will serve low-income residents in both Wharton and Matagorda counties. Commissioners appointed a seven-member oversight board that will hire leadership, set structure and monitor budgets. The office is backed by a $2.2 million state grant that covers first-year startup costs as opposed to the normal 80%. Supporters say the move protects fairness and access to legal help. Last year Wharton County spent $750,000 on indigent defense.The meeting was held Monday morning at the Courthouse Annex.