Thursday, November 23, 2006
The city must reply to the judge's complaint.
GIRARD -- Girard Municipal Judge Michael Bernard is looking to get his 11 laid-off court employees back as soon as possible, and he is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to grant that wish.
Judge Bernard took the ongoing funding dispute between the court and city officials to the high court earlier this week in an effort to have his funding for this year increased. He also asked the court, and it agreed, to expedite a hearing.
The city will be notified of the latest court action and will have three days to respond. The city would normally have 21 days to respond to the complaint, but the expedited status reduces the time allotted for a response.
Once the city has responded, the matter will go before the court.
11 laid off
Girard Municipal Court has been functioning with only four employees since Judge Bernard laid off 11 staff members earlier this month because of a lack of funding. The employees were told they could return to work in mid-December.
The judge, bailiff, clerk of courts and magistrate are still on the job. Those four receive part of their compensation from Trumbull County and must work at least the portion of time still being funded with county dollars.
After much wrangling, in and out of court, the city appropriated the court about 800,000 total for 2006. Those funds were exhausted as of Nov. 16, leaving the court with no money to function through the end of the year.
City officials have said the court was reasonably funded and should have budgeted its appropriations better.