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088-054 - 06-14 Opposition to Transferring Trials to Downtown Government Center Resolution 88-54 June 14, 1988 Member Bakken introduced the following resolution and �oved its adoption: RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITIOP� TO TRANSFERRING JURY TRIALS FR0�1 THE RIDGEDALE COURT FACILITY TO DOWNTOWN HENNEPIN COUNTY GOVERN�IENT CENTER WHEREAS, the City Council of Golden Valley is the official governing body of the City of Golden Valley; and WHEREAS, the City Council has been informed that an executive committee of the Hennepin County District Court Judges voted recently to transfer the handling of Golden Valley jury trials from the Ridgedale facility to the downtown Hennepin County Gove rnment Center; and WHEREAS, the Ridgedale Court facility has sufficient courtroom space to accomodate the handling of all court and jury trials for municipalities located in Division III; and WHEREAS, the Golden Valley Police Department is strongly opposed to the proposed move because of increased time and costs involved in traveling downtown; and, WHEREAS, it is the experience of the Police Department that civilian witnesses are often reluctant to travel downtown because of excess time lost from work , unfamiliarity with downtown and the cost and availability of parking and that this general reluctance will make it mo re difficult to successfully prosecute cases; and WHEREAS, it is highly likely that suburban jury trials would have low priority for jury assignment at the downtown facility and a backlog of cases would inevitably develop; and WHEREAS, moving jury trials downtown would further distance the residents of Golden Valley from the court system and constitute a waste of taxpayer's money expended for construction of the Ridgedale facility; and WHEREAS, the transfer of jury trials from the Ridgedale facility to the Hennepin County Government Center will result in substantial increases in the total cost of prosecution for the City of Golden Valley, including loss of police and attorney time, increased overtime pay and probable increases in personnel ; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Golden Valley, that the City Council strongly opposes the proposed transfer of Golden Valley jury trials from the Ridgedale Court facility to the downtown Hennepin County Government Center for the foregoing reasons. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to each member of the Henr�epin County Commissioners and Golden Valley's representatives in the State Legislature. Resolution 88-54 - Continued June 14, 1988 r � t � � 1� r,V,�� f�� � t, P ary E. nderson, Mayor ATTEST: � ��� �f� � J y Nal , Deputy ; ity Clerk � y � The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was seconded by Member Thompson, and upon a vote being taken thereon, the following voted in favor thereof: Anderson, Bakken, Johnson, Stockman and Thompson; and the f ollowing voted against the same: none, whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted, signed by the Mayor and her signature attested by the Deputy City Clerk.