HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-056
.
.
.
~
~LLS
CITY OF ARDEN HILLS
RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 03-56
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CLOSURE OF THE MAPLEWOOD
SUBURBAN COURT AND REQUESTING RAMSEY COUNTY DISTRICT
COURT COOPERA TIVEL Y EXAMINE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
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 III 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 oftime for overcrowded court schedules,
· Suburban police departments will incur increased costs to pay for longer waiting
limes, 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 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 by the City Council of the City of Arden
Hills, Minnesota that:
I. The City Council opposes the closure of the Maplewood Suburban Courthouse
because of the consequences listed above.
2. The leadership of the Ramsey County District Court is requested to provide
budget and statistical information to the suburban cities and to meet cooperatively
to examine possible solutions to the proposed funding cuts.
3. The City 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 Deputy 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 Arden Hills City Council this 25th day of August 2003.
/
ArrEST:
Director