08-27-2003 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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Hanson, Joel From: Mott, Thomas ( Judge) [Thomas.Mott @courts.state.mn.usj Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2003 5:35 PM To: 'GemLakeCity @aol.com'; ' city. administrator @ci.arden- hills.mn.us'; ' rick .getschow @ci.lauderdale.mn.us'; 'joel. hanson @ci.little- canada.mn.us'; 'Rfursman @ci.maplewood.mn.us'; 'jim.ericson @ci.mounds- view.mn.us'; 'mfulto @ci.new - brighton.mn.us'; 'wwysopal @ci.north- saint- paul.mn.us'; ' neal.beets @ci.roseville.mn.us'; ' MMornson @ci.saint- anthony.mn.us'; 'tschwerm @ci.shoreview.mn.us'; 'turban @ci.vadnais- heights.mn.us'; 'bill. short@ci.white - bear- township.mn.us; 'jmarch @cityofnorth- oaks.com'; 'msather @whitebearlake.org'; ' HWorthington @ci.falcon- heights.mn.us' Cc: 'Jan.Wiessner @CO.RAMSEY.MN.US'; ' Janice .rettman @CO.RAMSEY.MN.US'; 'Tony.bennett @CO.RAMSEY.MN.US; ' victoria .reinhardt @CO.RAMSEY.MN.US'; 'Mwolfe @cottage - grove.org'; Jim McDonough (E- mail); Dease, Larry Subject: Suburban Court facilities It is my understanding that you have all recently received information about what the court is planning to do about continuing to hold court sessions in a suburban facility. Along with that information is a draft of a resolution for consideration by the various city councils. Both the email message you received and the draft resolution contain substantial factual errors which perpetuate earlier rumors that had circulated. I have NEVER said, nor has the Bench ever taken the position, that the Maplewood Court facility would be closed in September. That simply has never been suggested as even a possibility. The draft resolution states: "Chief Judge Mott had budgetary and statistical information that he declined to share with police representatives and city elected and appointed officials in written form." This assertion is simply untrue. I did not have such information with me at the meeting and had not been asked to bring it. The Court budget is public information and I am more than happy to make it available. Larry Dease, the 2nd Judicial District Administrator, is in a much better position than I am to answer any specific questions regarding our budget. Mr. Dease was not available to attend the last meeting with suburban officials but will be attending the meeting on August 25th. Continuing to spread misinformation is not conducive to finding a collaborative solution to meet everyone's needs and desires on this issue. We need to continue to move forward in a cooperative fashion that acknowledges the very real problems faced by the County Board, the suburban communities, the taxpayers and the Court. Our recent meetings have identified a number of options that may be workable. On behalf of the Court, we are continuing to examine and consider all options and alternatives. A joint committee of the Bench and the Ramsey County Board has been meeting for months reviewing all the court facilities and the costs associated with their operations. This group has been working to explore all the options available to the County Board and the Court. The Bench /Board committee will be getting a report on the various options available and the capital and operating costs associated with those options. The committee will be getting that report on September 2. Included in that report will be some additional options that resulted from the recent meetings with various representatives of the suburban communities. Because of the budget constraints on the Court, the Bench will need to make some decisions about its budget and its ability to continue operations in the suburban facility while simultaneously beginning operations at yet another Court facility, that being the new Law Enforcement Center. Because the budget cuts imposed on the Courts by the Legislature took effect on July 1, 2003, the Bench will need to make some decision very quickly about our ability to continue operations in the suburbs. The effort of the Bench /Board committee over the last several months and now with the recent meetings with various representatives of the suburban communities has been geared toward finding 1 -6-