Judges propose courthouse expansion

Wahkiakum County's two judges have proposed a major expansion of the Courthouse Annex to improve the security of the courts.

Superior Court Judge Michael Sullivan and District Court Judge William Faubion met with the board of commissioners to discuss the proposal and other security issues on Monday.

"There's no money," was the basic response of Commissioners Blair Brady, Dan Cothren and Lisa Marsyla.

If the economy picks up, the judges should bring the proposal back to the board, said Commissioner Marsyla.

In the meantime, Cothren said, the judges could work with the commission to take whatever small steps are possible.

The judges' proposal would expand the Courthouse Annex to allow a new arrangement of offices, putting the offices most involved in the court next to the courtroom. It would also involve additional building for the sheriff's office and jail so that defendant prisoners can be kept separate from witnesses, potential jurors and others attending court proceedings.

There is presently no good way to keep prisoners coming into court separate from witnesses and potential jurors, the judges said, and that has allowed intimidation of witnesses in the past, they said.

The plan would include a much larger jury room that would be separate from public areas, Faubion said, so that there isn't the mingling of jurors and witnesses that occurs now at the start of trials.

The judges, Faubion said, wanted to hear from the commissioners some recognition of the value of the project and some guidance addressing issues.

Marsyla responded that she agreed that the space available to the courts isn't sufficient for their needs but she offered little hope for action soon.

"In light of the current economic times, we're barely meeting our budget," she said. "In the next year, it's going to be worse.

"I'm willing to look at it in the future when the revenue picture is better."

Commissioners also left the 2011 budget line item for courtroom security at a $13,500, less than the amount requested by the judges.

The judges have hired two retired law enforcement officers to screen people entering the courtroom and provide security. They anticipate $18, 000 in revenue that would be available for that work.

On Tuesday, when the commissioners were working on their 2011 budget, they agreed to leave the amount set at $13,500. The amount could be amended if the extra funds become available, they said.

If the funds aren't high enough to provide the level of security which the judges desire, the judges and commissioners should work with the sheriff's office to have deputies provide security.

Sheriff Dan Bardsley had resisted this, saying deputies need to be working on their caseload.

"The problem with using the sheriff's office is that it takes deputies out of what they should be doing," Faubion said. "It's much more difficult for the sheriff to replace a deputy than it is for us to pay $20 per hour for court security."

"I'm pretty flexible and willing to make something work," Judge Sullivan said.

Several attorneys and the two security officers spoke in favor of a strong security program. Problems occur, they said, and the presence of the security officers is a calming influence on people who are agitated with having to be in court.

"It boils down to money," said Cothren. "We need to work with you folks trying to do small things."

"I do not see any additional funding for 2011," Marsyla said. She said the courts should use the sheriff's office to augment what security the courts can afford.

"I would agree with that," Cothren said.