HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-10 05-60 RESOLVEItem No. 05-60
Dace: 1-10-05
Item/Subject: Resolve, Calling Upon the State a Maine Judicial Bench to Work With the City a Bangor
and Penobscot County in an Effort to Ste the Proposed State Court Expansion Project
AEjacent to the Penobscot County Courtlmuse or, Should that Not be Feasible, In
Downtown Sanger.
Responsible Department: CM Council
For some June, the State Court System has bean investigating Prow best m meet their space and operational
needs in Penobscot County. The City and the County have been working with Me Court System on this
project, and have jointly funded a City/County campus plan that initially recommended an expansion and
renovations to the Penobsw[ County Courthouse fprthis purpose. The Court System has recently undertaken
a feasibility study for this project, a study which apparently has concluded Nat expansion and renovation
would be more expensive than new construction and would not meet the operational needs of the Court
system. As a result, the Court System is Inviting lepers of interest from property owners who may have an
interest in identifying properties that would meet the Court's need.
As this project has moved forward, however, some conditions have changed. In pamculag the City is in the
process of relocating its Police Department from the current City/County campus W another downtown
location, potentially freeing up space for new construction.
The attached Resolve will state the City's position that eery passible altemative W locate the Court System
on the anent County campus be explored prior to considering any other she. Further, if other sites are
considered, those saes should be in downtown Bangor. This Resolve has also been shared with the
Penobscot County Commissioners, who approved it at their meeting of December 28, 2004.
Department Need
Managers Comments:
Recommend approval. Q .a Qa /
���/ City Manager
Finance Director
X Passage
_ First Reaming Page _ of
Referral
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PInrUC6e" Copy, AtteaCITY OF BANGOR
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OTIIE.) Resolve, Celgng Upon the Stale of Maine Judicial Branch M Work With the City of Bangor and
Penobxat County in an Effort to Site the Roposed State Court Expansion project Adjacent to the
Penobscot County Courthouse or, Should that not be Feasible, in Downtown Bangor.
WHEREAS, there Is wide and long standing recognition that the Current spam available for operations of
the State Court System in Bangor Is inadequate and additional space Is needed; and
WHEREAS, over the part several years, the City of Bangor and Penobscot County have been in
discussions with the State Judicial Branch regarding its space needs and potential options for
meeting those needs; and
WHEREAS, as a part of this Short, the City and County jointly funded the developmerrt of a master plan
far the C5ty/County campus, located on Hammond and Court Street In downtown Bangor;
and
WHEREAS, the conwhant's mMft on that effort called for an expansion of and renovations to the
existing County Courthouse and the mnstrutlbn of a multi-user parting deck as one option
to address this need; and
WHEREAS, since the completion of that report, the Qty of Bangor has made the decision to relocate our
Police headquarters from the building, potentially freeing additional space for County and
Court purposes; and
WHEREAS, a feasibility study commissioned by the State Judicial Branch has apparently recommended
that the option of renovating and expanding the County Courthouse no longer he considered
due to higher estimated costs and operational efficiency considerations; and
WHEREiS, relocation of court operations from the County complex, which also houses the County jail,
are likely to increase operating casts associated with primmer transportation and sewdty
and result in considerable underutilized spam in existing county buildings, spam which must
Still he operated and maintained at taxpayer expense; and
WHEREAS, the first priority of Me City and the County is to continue to explore the feasibility of meeting
the needs of the judidal system on the existing campus especially given the Scheduled
relocation of the Bangor Police Department and
WHEREAS, a decision on the final location of the State Court System in Bangor must be based not only
on art related M mpital construgbn, but on long-tame operating costs, not only of the
Court system but of the County as well; and
WHEREAS, Me cityand County also believe that the judidal system must remain in downtown Bangor in
close prwdmity to other related legal and governmental services; and
WHEREAS, locating the court system on the County campus i at l minimum, in Ba rmne doxnbwn is
in accordanceas a the policies s the Space of Maine M brace state govemmeM oiec� in
0ovmtorvn meas and to promote responsible tlevebpmeM; and
WHEREAS, the Penobscot County Commissloners have approved this Resolve at their meeting of
December 28, 2009.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE R RESOLVED BY THE Cltt COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR THAT
The City aF Bangor and Reminisce County hereby call upon the State Judicial Branch to explore every
possible alternative that would allow for the Court System to meat Its space and operational needs on
the current City/County campus located at Hammond and Court Streets in downtown Bangor. We urge
the Judicial &anon to work closely with the City and County in the evaluation of alternatives that would
accomplish the goal of meeting its needs on this campus. Only after all alternatives involving the
Cry/Canty campus have beer) fully explored and found to ne impractical should the Judicial System
Investigate other potential sites. Water, should B be necessary ce explore other sites, we urge the
Carat System M select a site in downtown Bangor. A dpunowm location will minimIn additional
pdsmer transportation costs to be paid by the County, leave the Court In close proximity to the vast
majority of the legal cmnmunity, that is centered In downtown Bangor, and further City and State policies
BE 9 FURTHER RESOLVED THAT copies of this resolve be provided to the Chief Justice of the Maine
Judicial Court, the Maine State Court Administrator, Govenwr John E. Baldacd, the members of the
Bangor State Legislative Delegation, the Chairs of the Legislative Commitee wiM jursdkEon over court
con0wodoo/expanslon programs, and Me Speaker of the State House of Representatives and the
Prudent of the State Senate.
IN CITY COONCIL
Jaaugcy 10; 2005
Notlau.1fade-aM-Seconded - for Psga ge
p 71 Z
4.'.
# 05-60
(tl'l.E) Callins Poon tee State of Maine
Judicial Branch to Work with the City of
Sooner and Penobscot Comoro In am Effort
to Side the Proposed State Court Expansion
Project Adjacent to the- Penobscot Canty
CmRhouie or, Sbould that Not be Feasible,
in Downtown Sanger
.- l