HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 4938 'S-`"i- ..<':.. ' .
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RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
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`�kEsKOg' � . � No. 4 � � � .
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF ANY SUBURBAN
COURTHOUSE AND REQUESTING HENNEPIN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT
TO SHARE INFORMATION AND COOPERATIVELY EXAMINE
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR STATE FUNDING CUTS . �
WHEREAS, Hennepin County District Court Administrator Mark Thompson
announced at the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee(CJCC)meeting on February 27,
2003,that the District Court was considering closing one or more suburban courthouses in
response to proposed state funding decreases; and
WHEREAS, Court Administrator Thompson had budgetary or statistical
information that he declined to share with CJCC participants because it was only in draft form;
and �
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• `VHEREAS, at no time has the leadership of the Hennepin County District Court
involved the suburban cities in a cooperative effort to analyze pos"sible measures to absorb the
anticipated budget cuts; and � ' . '
R'HEREAS, the closing of one or more suburban courthouses will result in the
following:
• There will be much longer court calendars and overcrowding at the remaining
courthouses,�vhich do not have the space to absorb additional defendants and the
court staff needed for the increased workload,
• Police officers will be off�the streets for longer periods of time to travel longer
distances and to wait longer periods of time for overcrowded court schedules,
• Suburban police departments will incur.in;,reased costs to pay for lon�er waiting
times and additional officers to cover the longer absences,
• Suburban citizens will suffer major inconvenience from traveling longer distances
and waiting longer periods of time to be heard, �
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RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
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• Cooperation of civilian witnesses and crime victims with the prosecution will be
lost,particularly in domestic abuse cases, due to the remote location and
increased waiting time, and . .
• Prosecution costs will potentially increase if each city's cases are spread between
more courtrooms.
WHEREAS, suburban cities recognize the real need to cut costs at the district �
court level; and �
- WHEREAS, suburban cities are themselves struggling with proposed cuts in their
own state funding; and
`VHEREAS, suburban cities wish to cooperate with the District Court in
analyzing other alternatives that could avoid shifting the court's budget cuts to the cities.
• NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED b the Cit Council of the Cit of
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Orono, Minnesota that: � �
1. The City Council opposes the closure of any suburban courthouse because of the
consequences listed above.
2. The leadership of the Hennepin County District Court is requested to immediately
provide accurate budget and statistical information to the'suburban cities and to �
meet cooperatively to examine possible solutions to the proposed funding cuts.
3. The City Adrriinistrator and the City Attorney are authorized to cooperate with
other suburban cities in creating a task force of representatives to meet with the
Court. � ��
4. The City Clerk is directed to provide copies of this resolution to the Chief Justice
of the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Chief Judge of the Hennepin County District
Court, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, the Hennepin County
District Court Administrator, and the other suburban cities in Hennepin County.
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RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
`9kESH.O'4V . NO. � � � � . .
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Orono,Minnesota, at a regular meeting held
March 10, 2003.
ATTEST: . ' �
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Linda S. Vee, City Clerk Barbara A. Peterson,Mayor
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