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| Employees recognized for service |
| By Matt Smith |
| Published: 04/15/2009 |
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The Johnson County Commissioners Court addressed several matters relating to the court system and the Guinn Justice Center on Monday. Commissioners approved a 48 month lease of video arraignment and teleconferencing equipment at a rate of $2,259 per month. The equipment, which includes cameras and telemonitors, will initially be set up at the Johnson County Corrections Center, the Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace office and the Guinn Justice Center. Additional monitors may be placed in other JP offices and other courts in the Guinn building later on. The system will allow Judge Ronny McBroom to perform video arraignments, eliminating the need to transport prisoners from the jail. McBroom has offices at the jail, but commissioners recently approved plans to relocate his office to a building behind the Guinn. The system will provide several advantages, said 413th District Court Judge Bill Bosworth, such as reducing the amount of inmates requiring transportation to and from the Guinn building. “They went from about 30-40 runs a week from the jail to about four to five in Collin County,” Bosworth said. Future possible uses for the system include the ability to allow attorneys to teleconference with clients in jail from the Guinn building, court appearances by TV monitor for inmates on minor matters, and the ability for family members to visit with inmates through the system at an off-site location, Bosworth said. “We could also expand this to the other JP’s offices so they could help with arraignments,” said Commissioner Don Beeson. Commissioners agreed with Bosworth’s suggestion to lease the equipment before deciding whether to purchase it. The lease includes repairs, equipment upgrades every two years, and the option to opt out of the contract, Bosworth said. Money from a tech fund, funded by a portion of fine payments, out of the JP 1 office will fund half the lease price while money from an indigent defense fund, funded by a grant, will cover the other half, Bosworth said. Bosworth said he intends to apply for grants to cover the continued lease, or purchase, of the system equipment for future years. Commissioners put Bosworth in charge of the law library in the Guinn building. County Clerk Curtis Douglas had overseen the library. Bosworth and commissioners praised Douglas’ efforts, which led to the library fund’s growth from $14,000 in debt to a balance of more than $400,000, money that can only be used toward the law library. Money in the fund originates from a fee charged when criminal or civil cases are filed. Plans call for moving the library to the third floor of the Guinn, which is scheduled for renovation. Bosworth said he wants to form a committee to determine library needs. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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