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RAMSEY COUNTY Cities vie to host new court Four locations being debated for facility BY LENORA CHU Pioneer Press For years, Ramsey County has heard complaints that its suburban courthouse in Maple- wood is aging and cramped. Administrators are finally speeding ahead with plans for a new facility. But as the county debates the merits of four possible loca- tions — two in Maplewood and • one each in Roseville and Little Canada — a friendly sort of geo- graphic warfare is brewing. Everyone wants the shiny, new, 15,000- square -foot court facility near home. Cities in northern Ramsey County favor a county -owned site in Little Canada, the option that's the farthest north. Locat- ing the facility at Interstate 694 and Rice Street next to a Taco John's shop would slice the commute time for their public safety officials, who currently trek to Maplewood for court appearances. Arden Hills has already sub- mitted a letter supporting that option, and Vadnais Heights City Administrator Gerry Urban calls it "my favorite site." "It should be located near a major highway and fairly cen- tralized within the suburban Ramsey County area," Urban said, adding that the other three spots are "too fax west or east to serve the general area." County Commissioner Tony Bennett, who serves northern Ramsey, agreed. The center of suburbia is "on Rice Street, someplace between County Road C and north of I- 694," he said, perfectly boxing in the site in question. Maplewood, however, may have something to say about that. Earlier this year, it was the only city to respond to the coun- ty's request for potential sites — the three other proposed spots are county -owned — which a February letter stated must be provided "at no cost to Ramsey County" Maplewood officials, saying the gift of land is more of an "investment," immediately offered up a vacant tract of land west of its city hall at 1830 E. County Road B. They're lobby- ing hard to keep the courthouse in their community. "For our police officers and attorneys to be able to get (to court) within minutes gives them time to do other things," said Melinda Coleman, assistant city manager. Roseville Police Chief Carol Sletner would like her officers to have a shot at the conven- ience factor as well. Sletner said she would be "very pleased" if the county selects the spot adja- cent to the county's Roseville library, at County Road B and Hamline Avenue. The fourth site under consid- eration is also next to a county library, this one in Maplewood, on Beam Avenue next to Maple- wood Mall. It's less than a mile from the current courthouse, which is located on a converted floor of a leased office building at 2785 White Bear Ave. County officials say the 9,300 - square -foot facility is no longer adequate. "The main concern is the lack of space," said Larry Dease, the county's court administra- tor. The courthouse lacks a Lobby, sufficient office space and meeting rooms for attorneys and' their clients. Sometimes victims and defendants are forced to stand in a cramped hallway together, waiting for their turn in court, he said. Administrators also have security concerns. "The weapons screening is not in the best iocation because the layout just doesn't provide for that type of thing," Dease said. Jolly Mangine, Ramsey's property manager, said his team has already created a list of selection criteria and evaluated the four sites. Over the next cou- ple of weeks, he'll solicit input from various commissions and bring the issue before the coun- ty board on May 11. Bids from project architects and contractors already have come in. The county has set aside $3 million to build the facility. "We're on schedule and hope to break ground in late fall," Mangine said. Lenora Clzu can be reached at tchuttDpioneerpress.co7n or (i51- 228.2109.