Court clerk seeks updated courtroom security, fee schedule review and online payments

Fairview’s court clerk briefed the commission on a short-term set of needs for the city court that include meeting Tennessee’s minimum courtroom security standards, reviewing the municipal fee schedule and implementing online payment capability.

Court security and operations: The clerk said court currently does not meet Tennessee minimum courtroom security standards and that court and police staff are collaborating on a solution with a target completion in 2025. She said the intent is to provide a more secure facility for staff, defendants and the public.

Court costs and revenue: The clerk reported that the court’s recent finances have moved from operating “in the red” to operating “in the black” by roughly $30,000–$40,000 annually and recommended a comparative review of citation and court costs with surrounding jurisdictions. The goal is to ensure Fairview’s cost structure is consistent with neighboring courts and sustainable for court operations.

Payments and technology: The clerk asked the commission to support researching an online payment platform (the city already accepts debit/credit cards in person) to allow defendants to pay fines online and reduce staff time spent on in-person payments. She said the court currently uses the same vendor as other city departments for card payments and that an online solution could be integrated with city systems.

Ending: Staff will research payment solutions and bring back options and cost estimates; court security upgrades are already in progress with police and staff will return with timelines and any budget requests.