Signal Mountain officials may soon rule in favor of doing away with most of the town's dedicated court system. Almost all the cases currently heard at Town Hall could be sent to the Hamilton County Courthouse downtown, according to Police Chief Boyd Veal.
"We're not trying to make a profit off our court, but I would like to cover our costs; otherwise what are we doing," Town Manager Honna Rogers said in regards to this year's expected $7,900 deficit. "I asked some other municipalities, 'What do you do when you lose money with court?' They said, 'Lose? Who loses money?' That had us looking at the way our court system operates."
Only city code violations would have to be heard on the mountain, she said. Traffic citations, which account for the majority of the town's cases, could be written as state offenses, according to Chief Veal.
Over the last five years revenues have been an average $1,600 higher than expenses, fluctuating between $ 4,100 and $17,000 over expenditures, according to Rogers.
"I don't see a problem," said Councilman Dick Gee. "The numbers there are variable but it looks to me over the past four or five years the court pays for itself."
The county offers court services free of charge to municipalities, but "fines would basically be split between the county and city," Veal said. Arrest and prisoner guarding charges would come back to the city, according to him.
Although Veal said "a lot of costs are very difficult to put a number to," the judge's $15,000 salary is one that could definitely be decreased - but not for another four years.
"We cannot do away with or lower his salary during his term," Rogers said.
Administration and interpreter costs might also decrease, but Veal said the amount of officer time is likely to remain the same.
"I don't think there would be an appreciable difference in time because of the way we compensate officers," he said. "It's just more options for officers to try to have a manageable schedule. [The county has] court Monday through Friday with several times a day."
Rogers pointed out that many of the town's officers live off the mountain and now have to spend some of their off-time driving up to court. She also noted that officers have to drive off the mountain to take prisoners to jail, which not only costs time but sometimes extra officers. Two must be with prisoners at all times, which is how many are normally scheduled per shift.
Since city ordinances must be heard at the local level, a judge would still be necessary, but not the three times a month court is currently held.
Rogers said she will likely present the council with more information by the end of the summer.