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Spokane County commissioners are taking steps to reduce the number of judges on the District Court because there could be significantly less cases for them to hear.
With the city of Spokane opting to form its own municipal court this year, the commissioners have not felt a great need to fill a vacant position on the bench – there are nine judges now -- as there are fewer cases for the District Court to deal with. So the commissioners are expected to petition the Legislature to allow Spokane County to drop down to eight judges in total.
The Spokane Valley City Council also voted Tuesday night to terminate its contract with Spokane County for District Court services. However, council members only did so in order to conduct a study seeking out alternatives. If Spokane Valley doesn’t form its own court or contract with the city of Spokane, it still has the option of staying with the District Court – provided it gives notice by Dec. 1 of this year.
Currently, Spokane County is funding nine court positions.
If the commissioners’ legislative request for eight judges is approved, the county will not have to appoint a replacement for Judge Annette Plese, who was elected to the Superior Court last fall.
On Tuesday, Spokane Valley council members reiterated they have no problems with the quality of service they are receiving from the District Court, which operates at the Sprague Avenue police precinct building. However, the move is simply a way to allow the city some flexibility to be able to either form its own court or go with another provider at the beginning of 2011 rather than 2015, as would be required under state law.
“What we’re doing is trying to come up with a Plan B,” Mayor Richard Munson said. “If the commissioners terminated our contract, we’d only have a year’s notice.”
Spokane Valley officials are reviewing alternatives for all 17 of its contracts with Spokane County after commissioners abruptly gave notice in December that the county would no longer plow city streets after Oct. 15, 2009. Fearing they could be caught off guard again, the council wants potential “Plan B’s” for all its contracts with the county.
County commissioners have agreed to let the city withdraw its notice of termination by Dec. 1, something that council members said they fully expect to do.
“We’re not saying we’re looking to go our own way (like Spokane did),” said Council Member Steve Taylor. “I think all of us believe that when the analysis is done we’ll find we’ve been getting excellent service.”
Presiding District Court Judge Richard White said the county commissioners would ask for the number of judges to be reduced to eight based on the city of Spokane Valley’s decision. Court commissioners have already been let go due to the city of Spokane’s formation of a municipal court.
White added that, if Spokane Valley continued to utilize the District Court beyond 2010, it would jeopardize the potential for a full-time judge to be assigned to the city. Rather, court commissioners – not elected by the people – would hear cases instead.
“It’s mathematics,” White said. “It’s not a threat.”
Council Member Rose Dempsey didn’t see it that way.
“I’m perturbed by this threat of us doing the study,” she said. “I feel like I’ve got a hammer over my head.”
In the end, the council voted 5-2 in favor of terminating the contract for now. Council Members Bill Gothmann and Gary Shimmels voted no.
“If it’s not broke, why try to fix it?” Schimmels asked.
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By
Mike Huffman
