Judge bans council from using courtroom

City officials are waiting for an explanation in writing.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- Tensions between officials in Girard Municipal Court and city officials have reached a boiling point with Judge Michael Bernard asking city officials to vacate his courtroom.
Judge Bernard told Council President Reynald Paolone on Wednesday afternoon that council could no longer meet in the new court facility. Judge Bernard said personal attacks on the court led to the ban.
"I have a mayor that has instigated personal attacks against the court. I am systematically separating the court from Girard's politics," he said.
Mayor James Melfi has said that building the facility, which houses the court and police department, helped push the city into fiscal emergency. He said funding additional requests for money from the judge has helped keep the city in fiscal emergency.
Judge Bernard said banning city council from the courtroom is within his rights as judge. He also said the ban has nothing to do with the fact that he had had to order the city to increase financial appropriations to the court the past two years.
2005 court order
Judge Bernard issued a court order in November 2005 to force the city to pay an additional $49,000 to the court that year. He also ordered the city to increase appropriations to the court for 2006 to $905,454 from about $600,000.
Paolone said Judge Bernard told him that city council is to no longer use the courtroom for meetings, but he has received nothing in writing. Paolone said the matter has been discussed with city Law Director Mark Standohar.
"The law director advised me that the judge should provide this in writing," he said. "He wants a legal basis for how [the judge] is going to keep us out."
Judge Bernard said the move to ban council is simply what must be done to maintain the court's independence.
"This is to preserve the independence of the court against the oppressive tactics of the city," he said. "I represent the people's individual rights, and I will not be influenced by reporters, mayors, councils or government. When an individual walks into my court, they will receive a fair trial without any influence, and that is what this is all about."
jgoodwin@vindy.com