Criminal court clerk seeks $132,370 for technology upgrades; committee returns item with unfavorable recommendation

Heidi ****, the criminal court clerk, asked the committee to restore full funding for three technology programs that she said would increase transparency and efficiency in court operations. "This resolution is probably familiar to you because we have been before you before... I am before you today requesting for full funding for each 1 of those programs for $132,370," she said during her presentation.

Her director of finance, Brian Harder, told commissioners the clerk's office could not sustainably use its DP (deferred prosecution) funds for the entire program. He said the office's DP fund balance is $240,914 and that annual DP fee revenue is roughly $17,520 — levels that would be depleted within a few years if those funds covered the full cost. He also provided projected operating costs for subsequent years: Year 2 about $77,874, Year 3 about $81,080 and Year 4 about $84,447.

Commissioners questioned whether the item met permanent rules because Finance had flagged procedural issues and whether the clerk's office had supported earlier proposals to raise property taxes. The clerk said she had opposed raising property taxes but emphasized the office is requesting a split of costs and that with half the amount requested the office could still implement two of the three programs (research and court analytics) but not the AI redaction program.

After discussion the committee took a roll call. The clerk reported the tally as one "no" vote and four abstentions; the item will go down with an unfavorable recommendation.

The committee suspended the rules to consider the add-on and to allow the discussion but declined to forward the full funding request to the commission for approval.