03-023r
• CITY OF SHOREWOOD
RESOLUTION NO.03 - 023
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE CLOSURE
OF ANY SUBURBAN HENNEPIN COURT FACILITY
AND REQUESTING THE HENNEPIN DISTRICT COURT TO WORK COOPERATIVELY
IN DESIGNING POSSIBLE RESPONSES TO STATE FUNDING REDUCTIONS
WHEREAS, at a February 2003 meeting of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee
(CJCC), the Hennepin County District Court Administrator announced that the District Court was
considering closing one or more suburban courthouses in response to proposed State funding
decreases; and
WHEREAS, the Court Administrator had budgetary or statistical information that he
declined to share at that meeting as it was only in draft form; and
WHEREAS, at no time has the Hennepin County District Court involved suburban cities in a
cooperative effort to analyze possible measures to accommodate the anticipated budget reductions;
and
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WHEREAS, the closing of one or more of the suburban courthouses will result in the following:
• Much longer court calendars and overcrowding at the remaining courthouses, which do
not have the space to absorb additional defendants and the court staff needed for the
increased workload,
• Police officers will be away from their jurisdictions for longer periods of time to travel
longer distances and to wait for cases to be heard due to overcrowded court schedules,
• Suburban police departments will incur increased costs to pay for longer travel and
waiting times, and for additional officers to cover the longer absences,
• Suburban residents 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 potentially will increase if each city's cases are spread between more
courtrooms; and
• WHEREAS, suburban municipalities recognize the real need to accommodate revenue
reductions at the District Court level; and
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• WHEREAS, suburban municipalities are themselves struggling with proposed reductions in
their own State funding; and
WHEREAS, suburban municipalities wish to cooperate with the Hennepin County District
Court in analyzing other alternatives that could avoid shifting the cost effects of the Court's budget
revisions to the cities.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Shorewood,
Minnesota, that:
1. The City Council opposes the closure of any suburban courthouse because of the
consequences listed above.
2. Hennepin County District Court officials are requested to provide immediately accurate and
statistical information to the suburban cities, and to meet in cooperation with their
representatives to examine possible responses to the proposed funding reductions.
3. The City Administrator, City Prosecutor, and Chief of the South Lake Minnetonka Police
Department are authorized to cooperate with other suburban municipalities in creating a task
force of representatives to meet with the District Court.
. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SHOREWOOD this 24th day of
March 2003.
WOODY LOVE, MAYOR
ATTEST:
CRAM DAW90N, CITY ADMINISTRATOR/CLERK
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