Macoupin County Courts Committee met April 26.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
Courts Committee 215 S. East Street
Carlinville, IL 62626
Regular Meeting http://www.macoupincountyil.gov/
~ Minutes ~
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 5:15 PM County Board Room
I. CALL TO ORDER
PRESENT: Dunnagan, Pomatto, Quarton, Thomas, Siegel, Duncan, Deihl, Briscoe, Garrison, Clough, Ross
ABSENT: Klausing, Payne
II. AGENDA ITEMS
1. Introduction of Anne Clough, New Public Defender
Judge Deihl introduced Anne Clough the new Public Defender who had started on April 1 as the Chief position. Anne said she had been a public defender 21 years, about 18 months here in Macoupin. She's been very pleased with her experience in Macoupin and the county has a lot of folks who are all working hard. The office is working well, but she feels like there are some challenges with staffing that will need to be discussed soon. She would have more to say on that at her budget hearing.
2. Criminal Justice Reform/SAFE-T Act & Budget Needs
Briscoe discussed the requests for her department. One is removing the very old carpet in her department as it is currently a bit of safety concern for her office. She is also asking for there to be a bit of an overlap between two employees and the long time employees who are retiring. It would be an additional cost of just two months so about $8,000.
Ross discussed the requests for her office. She was seeking $150,000 for the scanning of older files with the goal of removing the files she currently has stored up in the dome completely. She would like the carpet removed from her floors. She also is need of a new server and battery back up for it. Finally, she was asking for 5 tablets for check-ins for court. This would allow someone coming to court to check in on a tablet and it automatically reflect that they are there on a tablet in the attorney conference room as well as all three judges chambers.
Clough discussed needing a full time secretary and a second assistant public defender. There was some office equipment and furniture she needed to handle the new employees. She was also requesting a hearing impaired telephone for one of her secretaries as well as the JIMS software for her office to be able to have digital files and access to the court software the
Garrison discussed needing a full time third assistant state's attorney as well as third paralegal. He was also asking for scanning of his office's old files, the JIMS software for his office, and a new server for his department.
Deihl discussed the requests he had for the courts. He was requesting money to help cover the jury expenses that would be incurred as they multiple trials coming up that had been delayed due to COVID which would not be able to be paid for from the normal budget. He also was requesting carpeting replacement for the big courtroom, Venetian blinds for the law library and judges chambers, new jury chairs, additional parking for employees and jury members, and a duress button system for all desks in the Courthouse.
http://macoupincountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=3736&Inline=True
Alerts Sign-up