Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Court Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Conyers staff propose raising municipal-court technology fee from $8 to $13; council directed follow-up
Summary
City staff proposed a $5 increase to the municipal-court technology fee (from $8 to $13) to fund court software, hardware and training. Staff said the $8 fee generated about $40,000 last year; the $13 cap would require state local‑legislation and a local code repeal to take effect July 1 if passed.
City staff proposed raising Conyers’ municipal-court technology fee from $8 to $13 per citation to help pay for software licensing, hardware and personnel training.
Dawn McAfee, Director of Court Services, told the council the current combined technology and administrative fee is $8 per citation and that last year that fee produced “approximately $40,000.” McAfee presented draft local legislation that would specify eight permitted uses for the new fee and require the funds be maintained in a segregated account under the CFO and clerk of court.
McAfee said the proposed $13 cap would be incompletely sufficient for all needs: the increase should cover annual software licensing costs but “it won't come near touching the additional required hardware and training” staff expect will be necessary. She also said she had discussed the matter with the judge, who was “comfortable with this increase for the cap of $13 total.”
City attorney Carrie and staff explained the change would require action at the state level: local delegates must introduce and pass enabling legislation and the council would repeal the city's existing local code section (2‑5‑18) so the new, state‑enabled fee could take effect. Staff said that if a delegate drops the legislation and it passes this session it would likely take effect July 1, producing an orderly transition from the $8 fee through June 30 to the $13 fee thereafter.
Council members asked for revenue estimates and comparables. Staff said $8 generated about $40,000 in the prior year and that the $13 amount would be “less than double” that total in simple proportional terms, though staff did not produce a precise revenue projection at the meeting. Council members also discussed whether higher court surcharges could affect defendants’ ability to pay; staff noted judges offer alternatives such as community service when defendants cannot afford fines.
Next steps: staff said they would pursue coordination with local delegates about drafting enabling legislation and would present required local repeals and implementing language at future, properly noticed meetings. The council did not take formal action on the fee at the work session.
