12/16/2009 1:01:00 PM Valley municipalities look at combining courts Other shared services may also be explored
Cottonwood City Manager Doug Bartosh says he not only favors the idea of combining courts, but also sees the discussion as a way to look into other consolidations. "In these economic times you have to look at every opportunity to reduce the cost of city government. This is one of those possible opportunities we need to look at."
CAMP VERDE - If there is an upside to the sour economy it is that valley communities are working to-gether, finding ways to save money.
In the nomenclature of public administration it is known as economies of scale and is based on the "cheaper by the dozen" concept.
The most recent idea being bantered around is the idea of combining the magistrate courts of Camp Verde, Cottonwood and Clarkdale.
Pooling court magistrate court services is not a new idea. And state statute allows municipalities to con-solidate their courts or contract their court cases out to another community.
In the past Jerome and Clarkdale have shared magistrates. And as far back as four years ago, before the valley's financial picture dimmed, the town managers of Camp Verde, Cottonwood and Clarkdale discussed the idea.
Four years ago, though, there was not as strong of an incentive, and there was really no building large enough to accommodate such a court.
But recently, Cottonwood was forced to relocate its magistrate court when the building they were using was declared uninhabitable due to mold. The City purchased the former Carpet One building on Sixth Street and is currently refitting it as a court building.
Last month, following the resignation of Camp Verde Magistrate Rodger Overholser, Camp Verde Town Manger Mike Scannell asked his counterparts Gayle Mabery in Clarkdale and Doug Bartosh to reopen the idea.
"If you look out on the horizon and assume the state is going to hammer the towns and the county in the next fiscal year, more so than we have already been hammered, it indicates we need to explore all the op-tions that we can explore," Scannell said.
"It is inefficient from a space perspective, infrastructure and equipment, as well as staffing, to have sepa-rate courts in each community," he said. "Consolidating would, it appears, save everyone money."
Both Mabery and Bartosh agree, although, like Scannell, they believe there are many details to be worked out before a consolidation could begin.
"The new building in Cottonwood may or may not accommodate the size of facility we need. But my impression is that the size of that facility would make it a lot more realistic to consider a consolidation ef-fort than it ever was," Mabery said.
Bartosh says he not only favors the idea of combining courts, but also sees the discussion as a way to look into other consolidations.
"In these economic times you have to look at every opportunity to reduce the cost of city government," Bartosh said. "This is one of those possible opportunities we need to look at.
"And this opens up the possibilities in other areas," he said. "Another one we are looking at is a regional public safety communications center. Does it make sense as well to have one dispatch center for the whole valley?"
Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Fix the current issues first
What a concept could be functional only if the appropriate Magistrate is selected. Also you keep reporting that the current Cottonwood Municipal Court was relocated when in fact the employees have been and are still working in that moldy environment. I think fixing [the as the city mangager put it] " the personality issues" and relocating the new employees is the first priority before consolidating the courts.
