Judge continues effort for new court

This should be 'the city's top capital improvement priority,' the judge says.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city municipal court's presiding and administrative judge, who declared the court's planned new municipal court dead less than a month ago, wants to meet with city council to discuss the proposal.
In a letter to city council and officials, Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. said he wants about 30 to 45 minutes to present a new court proposal at a special council meeting. He proposed May 31 or June 7 as meeting dates.
Judge Douglas met April 20 with city officials who told him the city isn't in a position to borrow the nearly $8 million needed for the project. The city offered to spend about $2 million to $3 million for alternatives to a new courthouse, most notably to move the facility to the city hall annex.
After the meeting, Judge Douglas said he didn't see the new court "happening for years, and I don't see a viable alternative."
Funds
In his letter, Judge Douglas wrote, "It is very disconcerting to observe the use of city funds and/or financing authority for recent and proposed major 'non-essential' projects while being told that there aren't city funds or financing authority for this 'essential' and critically overdue project."
Judge Douglas wrote the letter Friday. He couldn't be reached Monday to comment.
The city ended 2005 with a $2.8 million surplus but allocated that money for capital improvement projects and for an increased amount of demolition of dilapidated buildings, mostly vacant houses.
Judge Douglas wrote that it is his "hope and expectation that there are no further commitments or obligations to any 'non-essential' capital improvement projects until this project is respectfully addressed."
The judge wants a "clear commitment" to the courthouse project and for it to be designated as "the city's top capital improvement priority."
Mayor Jay Williams said he is pleased the judge no longer considers the project dead, and wants to find a solution to this problem.
"It's a matter of money," he said. "There are several top priorities. This is one of the city's several top priorities."
Judge Douglas says the current court facilities on city hall's second floor are "disgraceful and unsafe." The court isn't prepared to stop a major tragedy from happening there, he said.
Councilman responds
Councilman Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st and chairman of the legislative body's finance committee, said he agrees the court space is deplorable and the city would like to accommodate the judge's request.
"The only reason we haven't gone forward with this project is because of the financing," Gillam said. "I'd love to see him in a brand new building, but we don't have the money. My suggestion was to go to the annex, but he wasn't interested. We are supportive, but the bottom line is, where do we get the money?"
Gillam said he's willing to further discuss the issue with the judge.
In the letter, Judge Douglas wrote, "There is a clear legal duty on the part of the legislative authority of a municipal corporation to provide 'suitable accommodations' for the municipal court and its officers."
City officials and the three municipal judges decided the site of the recently demolished former Masters buildings on West Federal Street is an ideal location for a new courthouse if the money was available.
For the past eight years, the judges have collected $14 court fees for the proposed facility. That fund has more than $1 million in it. The money is to furnish the new building as well as purchase court technology, including computers, and to pay for security, the judge has said.
In the letter, the judge wrote, "We watch, with embarrassment, new construction for court facilities," including the new 7th District Court of Appeals building on West Federal Street.
skolnick@vindy.com