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T <br />A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF ANY SUBURBAN <br />COURTHOUSE AND REQUESTING HENNEPIN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT <br />TO SHARE INFORMATION AND COOPERATIVELY EXAMINE <br />POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR STATE FUNDING CUTS <br />WHEREAS, Hennepin County District Court Administrator Mark Thompson <br />announced at the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee (CJCC) meeting on February 27, <br />2003, tliat the District Court was considering closing one or more suburban courthouses in <br />response to proposed state funding decreases; and <br />WHEREAS, Court Administrator Thompson had budgetary or statistical <br />information that he declined to share with CJCC participants because it was only in draft form; <br />and <br />WHEREAS, at no time has the leadership of the Hennepin County District Court <br />involved the suburban cities in a cooperative effort to analyze possible measures to absorb the <br />anticipated budget cuts; and <br />WHEREAS, the closing of one or more suburban courthouses will result in the <br />following: <br />There will be much longer court calendars and overcrowding at the remaining <br />courthouses, which do not have the space to absorb additional defendants and the <br />court staff needed for the increased workload. <br />Police olTiccrs will be off the streets for longer periods of time to travel longer <br />distances and to wait longer periods of time for overcrowded court schedules. <br />Suburban police departments will incur increased costs to pay for longer waiting <br />times and additional officers to cover the longer absences. <br />Suburban citizens will suffer major inconvenience from traveling longer distances <br />and waiting longer periods of time to be heard. <br />Page I of 3