Judge asks council to cover court training after statute limits use of user fees; council tables request

Judge Thomas Elkins of Superior Court 1 asked the Howard County Council on Aug. 26 to appropriate $21,000 to cover travel and training costs for nine people who attended a national judicial/conference in May. The judge said the court had initially used user-fee funds, but county and state guidance clarified that the statute permits user fees to pay for participant education, not for staff or program administrators, and thus the court could not use the user-fee fund to pay those staff expenses.

“Statute permits use of those funds for educational purposes and but… the state says user funds for education is okay for the participants, but not for, the parties who are running the show,” Judge Elkins told the council, adding that he plans to contact Representative Karakoff and Senator Buckley to seek a statutory amendment. He asked for an appropriation of $21,000 to pay conference travel, lodging and registration already incurred for May.

Council members questioned whether the court could reallocate unspent lines within its budget to cover most of the cost. Judge Elkins said roughly $12,000 of court testing funds and other unspent budget lines could offset a portion of the bill, leaving a smaller additional appropriation. Councilman Brian Alexander moved to table the request for further review; Councilwoman Lake seconded. The motion to table passed by voice vote, leaving the judge to return with a narrower appropriation or a re-budget proposal.