NORFOLK
Mayor Paul Fraim has met with city judges to reassure them of City Hall's commitment to build a new courthouse, but the meeting ended without a clear end to a dispute over a proposed funding delay.
"It was a relatively stern meeting," Fraim said. "The court has been very patient with this issue. I think they're just about at the end of their rope."
Jerrauld Jones, chief judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, said the meeting helped judges understand the financial difficulties the city faces in taking on one of its largest capital improvement projects ever.
But Jones said continuing concerns about security at the city's three court buildings means "we can't tolerate any further delay."
"I have a sense that this timeline is the fastest timeline that this project could be accomplished," Jones said. "We've been disappointed the project has been delayed so long, but we're trying to look optimistically forward."
Last month, judges threatened to use legal action to force the city to build a new courthouse after they learned that all funding for the project was cut from the proposed city budget for the coming fiscal year.
City Manager Regina V.K. Williams wants to cut $30 million in planned borrowing for the $108 million courthouse complex and shift money into neighborhood projects. Williams argues that the city could borrow $40 million in the next budget without delaying the courthouse.
In a letter to council last month, the judges expressed skepticism that Williams could find $40 million next year when she couldn't find $30 million this year. They also raised the possibility of issuing a court order to force the council to build the complex, which they could under state law.
Fraim set up last week's meeting with the judges to show the city's commitment to the project. The city set aside $37 million for the project in previous years, he said, and expects to award a design contract worth about $12 million this summer.
Fraim said he hopes to break ground on the new courthouse project in the fall of 2009.
All of the sitting circuit judges and chief judges for the General District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts attended the meeting, which was held at the Circuit Court building. He said no further meetings are scheduled.
Circuit Judge Charles E. Poston said Friday that he left the meeting feeling "confident that the mayor strongly supports the project."
Fraim and other members of the City Council have heard questions and complaints from citizens about spending so much money on the courts complex when the city has so many other needs.
He said the courts are unsafe and state law requires the city to provide safe facilities. He said many Norfolk citizens are unaware of how dated the courts buildings are.
"The city needs to do a better job communicating to all of its citizens why it's our responsibility to build this facility, and why it needs to be done in the next several years," he said.
Added Judge Jones: "It's difficult, but essential."
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
Michelle Washington, (757) 446-2287, michelle.washington@pilotonline.com
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Is Jones Stupid? Or Does he Think We Are?
"Jerrauld Jones, chief judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, said the meeting helped judges understand the financial difficulties the city faces in taking on one of its largest capital improvement projects ever."
Does Jones think we are so stupid that we don't know that he (and the other judges) know what an enormous financial drain this project is going to be on our city? He needed the Mayor to spell it out for him? Really!? Maybe if he wasn't so willing to forgive the serious juvenile crime problem in our city that is chasing citizens to surrounding jurisdictions, we'd have a better tax base and could afford this project for the judges to be more comfortable doing nothing.
Stop it now
You can be assured the judges will insist on wood paneling, leather chairs and the fixins one might have in a luxurious home. Let's keep an eye on this project. Afer all, it IS our dollars they are spending. The slightest hint of luxe should start the phone lines humming. What is the need for such finery to sentence criminals?
Why can't the present court rooms be updated and secured, rather than spending millions on an edifice to crime.
Boo Hoo!
The judges keep saying the building is unsafe, and yet every time I enter the circiuit or general district court, I have to be searched and prodded over like its a roundup. I would like the hear their definition of unsafe!
Citizens Will Get Nothing in Return from Judges for Building
There are two things we can count on from these judges. First, they are going to whine, cry, and stomp their feet until they get a nice new building that they want because it will be a “safer” place for them to work. Second, once it is built, they won’t change the way they do their job to protect the public from the predators who consistently get light sentences, repeated opportunities to violate probation, or get off entirely. What can we expect from a bench who, by and large, pride themselves on their cordial relationships with the criminal defense bar, who they regularly eat lunch and breakfast with?
So, sure, give them a new building. But don’t expect anything in return – they’ll continue to be soft on crime.
aalto
You are being too kind to our irresponsible city council and mayor by saying: "you can look out the dirty windows at what $230 million wasted dollars looks like."
I'm willing to bet with overruns, design changes, and claims, the cost to the city will be closer to $350M or so. We need to set up a board and take bets on the actual cost. Closest without going over wins pot.
Yea But
There will be a cute little choo-choo chuggin past that old run-down court building. So while runnin from the criminals, you can look out the dirty windows at what $230 million wasted dollars looks like. And I bet you might see the $20 million given to the developers at the Granby tower dirt lot.
How is it??
How is it that the city of Norfolk can continue to find nearly $100M to give to wealthy developers for private, profit driven projects, but cannot fund a needed public building? Telling. This rob from the poor, give to the rich, corporate socialism program is a farce.
Just wonder....at least one counsel member has ownership in a company that sells a product that developers use heavily (nursery). I wonder how many of these projects funded with taxpayer funds, will purchase their landscape materials from the counselmans nursery. In effect, our tax dollars will be used to line help a councilmans business. The same counciman who recently was adamant that he would continue to do all he could to see that our tax dollars continue to go into the accounts of private for profit developers. Seems like an ethics issue.
Community Project
The best communiry project that isn't being done is getting justice administered.
And, a big jail to isolate the criminals from "communities" would be a good thing.
How's that for a project?
Better than a light rail.