Approved 9/5/07
JUDICIARY
July 12, 2007
Minutes
Members Present: Rebecca Bahar-Cook, Dianne Holman, Deb Nolan, Randy Schafer and Board Chairperson Marc Thomas
Members Absent: Andy Schor and Tina Weatherwax-Grant
Others Present: John Neilsen, Judge Collette, Tom Shewchuck, Pat Curran, Matt Davis and Richard Wiggins
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Bahar-Cook at 7:40 p.m. in the Personnel Conference Room of the Human Services Building, 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing.
Approval of the June 14, 2007 Minutes and June 14, 2007 Closed Session Minutes
MOVED BY COMM. NOLAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HOLMAN, TO APPROVE THE JUNE 14 CLOSED SESSION MINUTES AS SUBMITTED AND THE JUNE 14 MINUTES AS AMENDED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Schor and Weatherwax-Grant
The Minutes were amended to reflect the following:
Page 4:
Larry M. Trice, Outreach Services – first line – “Mr. Watson stated Outreach Services was actually blessed to (“not” was removed) receive County funding last year.
Page 6:
“The Church wants to move to another facility within the year.” This statement was deleted.
Additions to the Agenda: None
Limited Public Comment: None
2. Controller’s Office – Resolution Authorizing Adjustments to the 2007 Ingham County Budget
MOVED BY COMM. SCHAFER, SUPPORTED BY COMM. NOLAN, TO APPROVE THE RESOLOUTION AUHORIZNIG ADJUSTMENTS OT THE 2007 INGHAM COUNTY BUDGET. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Schor and Weatherwax-Grant
4. Board of Commissioners – Resolution Honoring Rebecca Scovill
MOVED BY COMM. NOLAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. SCHAFER, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION HONORING REBECCA SCOVILL. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Schor and Weatherwax-Grant
1. Discussion – Jury Board on the Board of Commissioners’ View of Their Responsibilities and Authority
Pat Curran, Matt Davis and Richard Wiggins were present for this discussion.
Comm. Grebner stated the County levies approximately $2 million for the jury system. The system has experienced problems over time and most of those problems have been resolved. He then stated he was called for jury duty recently but was not required to appear. A newspaper article indicated a murder trial had to be postponed due to a lack of jurors. Comm. Grebner stated this is a huge failure on the part of the jury system.
Judge Collette stated the postponed murder trial was the only one to be postponed for this problem in the last seven years. He then explained the murder trial had been aborted by Judge Nettles-Nickerson. Judge Manderfield volunteered to take the case. At that time there were only about 40 jurors available for this case. Fifty-five jurors are required for the jury draw. Judge Manderfield postponed starting the case until the following Tuesday because of a holiday. Judge Collette stated the postponement had less to do with the number of jurors than with other issues.
Judge Manderfield completed the murder case.
Comm. Grebner stated he has many suggestions for the Jury Board. He further stated he planned to attend the May Jury Board meeting but it had been cancelled. The June, July and August Jury Board meetings have also been cancelled. The Jury Board should continue to look into jury issues. Comm. Grebner stated he would like an avenue of input but the Jury Board has not been meeting. The Board of Commissioners believes the role of the Jury Board is to determine how to minimize the number of people who have wait by the phone.
Judge Collette stated proposed jurors call in after 5:00 p.m. to determine if they will be needed at court the following day. Efforts are made to accommodate the public.
Comm. Grebner reviewed recent juror call log concerns. Mr. Davis stated he asked MIS to prepare the Jury Board flow chart. He then stated the Jury Board’s intent of asking Comm. Grebner to fill in any blanks in the flow chart. The Jury Board will focus on problems areas and then proceed with available options.
Comm. Grebner stated the Jury Board should meet more often than its current schedule allows. Mr. Shewchuck, MIS Director, stated all problems should be assessed and then the information should be communicated to all involved. Mr. Shewchuck then stated he has met with Ms. Lee and the Court Administrator.
Mr. Davis stated that the Jury Board will meet in August. He asked Mr. Shewchuck and Comm. Grebner to attend the August meeting to discuss issues of concern.
Mr. Shewchuck stated data is available to review and determine if there are areas of concern to be addressed by the Jury Board. Mr. Wiggins stated during his time on the Jury Board improvements have been made.
The Committee held a general discussion regarding unreturned summonses. Comm. Nolan stated certain counties have found ways to pay their jurors that do not involve mailings or paperwork. Some counties use ATM cards. Judge Collette stated an ATM card machine is being installed in the downtown courthouse. He further stated tracking the ATM cards could present some real problems. Mr. Shewchuck stated the use of ATM cards is an innovative idea.
Chairperson Thomas stated he was concerned when he heard that the Jury Board was not going to meet for several months. He then stated if the Jury Board needs to cancel a number of meetings again, it should notify the Board Chair and/or the Chair of the Judiciary Committee.
3. Circuit Court – Communication – Administrator David Easterday, Jail Overcrowding Administrative Order 2007-02
Chairperson Bahar-Cook stated she asked Judge Collette to address the Committee regarding Administrative Order 2007-02. Judge Collette explained that changes were only made to Category 1. The words “through day seven (7)” were removed from the first line. In the second line, “two (2) days” was changed to “three (3) days.” These changes were recommended by the Sheriff’s Office.
Announcements
Chairperson Bahar-Cook informed the Committee that a joint meeting with the Law Enforcement Committee is scheduled for August 16, 20007. The time has not yet been determined.
Public Comment None
The meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Neff