Cole County commissioners approve court and juvenile budgets, defer salary decisions

Cole County commissioners approved the county's court-related and juvenile office budgets as presented but postponed decisions on salary adjustments, the commission said during a budget workshop.

County staff told commissioners the court budget was built from last year's figures with several changes: the county now has six judges instead of five; an additional judge brought a court reporter and associated equipment and upkeep costs; court security now shows seven marshals instead of six; and staff requested increased training funds for marshals and judges. Staff also noted a change to the state statute on jury mileage that could raise costs if the county must pay higher travel or sequestration expenses for out-of-county trials.

The budget discussion carried significance because commissioners flagged countywide equity and a pending salary study as reasons to delay agency-specific pay decisions. Commissioners approved the operating budget items for courts and the juvenile office but agreed to set salary changes at a later meeting.

Why it matters: The changes in the court budget reflect both permanent staffing shifts and one-time or contingent costs. An additional judge and court reporter increase…