HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 6090
RESOLUTION 6090
.
CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW
COUNTY OF RAMSEY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF ANY SUBURBAN COURTHOUSE
AND REQUESTING RAMSEY COUNTY DISTRICT COURT
TO SHARE INFORMATION AND COOPERATIVELY EXAMINE
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR STATE FUNDING CUTS
WHEREAS, Ramsey County Chief Judge Mott has announced that the District Court
was considering closing the Maplewood Suburban Court in response to proposed state
funding decreases;
WHEREAS, at no time has the leadership of the Ramsey County District Court involved
the suburban cities in a planning effort to analyze possible measures to absorb the
anticipated budget cuts;
WHEREAS, the closing of the Maplewood Suburban Court will result in the following:
.
. There will be much longer court calendars and overcrowding at the downtown
courthouse, which does 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 increased costs to pay for longer waiting
times, parking costs, 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,
. 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;
WHEREAS, suburban cities are themselves struggling with proposed cuts in their own
state funding; and
. WHEREAS, 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.
.
Resolution No. 6090 Page 2
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Mounds View
Minnesota that:
1. The City Council opposes the closure of any suburban courthouse because of
the consequences listed above.
2. The leadership of the Ramsey 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 Manager (or Administrator) 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 Ramsey County District
Court, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners, the Ramsey County District
Court Administrator, and the other suburban cities in Ramsey County.
. ADOPTED by the Mound View City Council on August 26, 2003.
...-' ."...'j ( .,/;#
.L..:./~;q/~.'"
J.,~rrY/~irike-;.."May6r
.
.,.., ~.."
,/
ATTEST:
z~-c:GSL
Kurt Ulrich, City Administrator
(seal)