[2. MINUTES]
[3. AUBURN MUNICIPAL COURT ANNUAL REPORT]
[00:04:06]
>> SPEAKER: WHEN WE STARTED OUR NEW PROCEDURES WE MOVED IT TO 40 CITIZENS IN OUR AND HAD A DOCKET EVERY HOUR.
THE MOST WE WOULD HAVE ANYONE MORNING WAS 120.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE GOT TO WHERE IF WE HAD 40 PEOPLE SET ON THE DOCKET YOU WOULD HAVE ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO TEN SHOW UP.
WE WERE HAVING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF NO-SHOWS AND HAVING TO ISSUE A LOT OF FAILURE TO APPEAR WARRANTS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE RATE OF FAILURE TO APPEAR IS INCREASED FROM 2400 TO ALMOST 4000 A YEAR. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IT INCREASES PAPERWORK FOR MY PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TO SEND THEM A SECOND NOTICES AS A COURTESY TO COME TO COURT. WHEN THEY DON'T DO THAT WE HAVE TO ISSUE A WRIT FOR THEIR REST. I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT MAKES CHEAP REGISTER, BUT IT MAKES PUBLICLY DOES PUBLIC SAFETY
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REGISTER'S JOB MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO FIND THESE PEOPLE AND LOCK THEM UP AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE DAILY BUSINESS RUN IN THE COURT.ONE OF THE WAYS WE ARE TRYING TO COMBAT THAT IS OUR BIGGEST INITIATIVE FOR NEXT YEAR. THERE IS THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER. WE WORK WITH THEM HAND-IN-HAND TO THE EXTENT WE CAN'T TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE EVERYBODY A FAIR SHOT. THEY HAVE WORKED WITH A COMPUTER COMPANY TO DEVELOP A THING CALLED UP TRUST.
WHAT THAT DOES IS IT WILL HOPEFULLY, IF OUR IT DEPARTMENT CAN HELP THEM GET THEM IN LINE, IT WILL PARTNER WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM TO ALLOW US TO SEND OUT TEXT MESSAGE REMINDERS ABOUT COURT DATES, PAYMENT PLAN REMINDERS, TRIAL NOTICES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. IN THEORY, WHAT IT ALLOWS US TO DO IS IT ALLOWS US TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, IT ALLOWS US TO REMIND THEM, EVERYBODY HAS A CELL PHONE.
IT WILL ALLOW US TO REMIND THEM TO COME TO COURT, DON'T FORGET YOU OWE HOW MANY DOLLARS THIS MONTH.
WE ARE HOPING THAT WILL NOT ONLY HELP US AND REDUCE OUR PAPERWORK AND THE POLICE'S NEW FOUND JOB OF HAVING TO LOCK EVERYBODY UP FOR NOT COMING TO COURT, IT WILL BENEFIT THE CITIZENS BECAUSE A MAJORITY OF THEM DON'T INTENTIONALLY NOT COME TO COURT.
A LOT OF THESE COLLEGE KIDS HAVE WAY TOO MUCH MORE FUN THINGS GOING ON THEN PAYING A SPEEDING TICKET OR PARKING TICKET.
THEY JUST DON'T THINK ABOUT UNTIL SOMEBODY KNOCKS AT THEIR DOOR AT SIX IN THE MORNING AND WITH A PAIR OF HANDCUFFS AND THAT'S TOO LATE. I PROMISED MEGAN I WAS GOING TO GO 15 MINUTES SO I'M PROBABLY GOING TO START TALKING ABOUT MY CHILDHOOD NOW. (LAUGHTER) SOME QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO ASK.
ANYTHING? >> SPEAKER: I HAVE A QUESTION.
ON THIS TEXT MESSAGE, AND I KNOW YOU SAID EVERYBODY HAS CELL PHONES, ARE THEY ALLOWED, IS THERE SOMEWHERE WHERE PEOPLE CHANGE CELL PHONES SO MUCH AND I AM A WITNESS TO THAT.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DO. DO THEY HAVE TO UPDATE THEIR
PHONE NUMBERS? >> SPEAKER: THEORETICALLY, AND AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS INSTALLED SINCE JANUARY AND WE ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES. NOT WITH OUR GUYS BUT WITH THE OUTSIDE COMPUTER COMPANY GETTING IT SET UP TO MESH WITH OUR SYSTEM. BUT THE FIRST STEP WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS GET THE OFFICERS WHEN THEY ARREST PEOPLE TO COLLECT CELL PHONE NUMBERS. WE WILL CERTAINLY DO THAT WHEN THEY COME TO COURT ON THE FIRST COURT DATE, BUT IT IS EASIER IF WE GET THEM FROM THE START WHEN THEY LOCK THEM UP AND WE GET ALL OF THEM AND WRITE THE CITATIONS IF WE GET THERE SELVES NUMBER THEN. RIGHT NOW THE DIFFICULTY WE HAVE IS COLLEGE KIDS -- I HAVE LIVED IN THE SAME PLACE FOR 40 YEARS IN THESE COLLEGE KIDS MOVE EVERY SIX WEEKS IT SEEMS LIKE.
THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO UPDATE THEIR ADDRESSES WITH US AND THEY DON'T DO THAT. I IMAGINE IT WOULD BE THE SAME WITH PHONE NUMBERS. BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE, PHONE NUMBERS ARE LITTLE BIT MORE PERMANENT THAN THESE KIDS' LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. WHILE WE WILL LOSE SOME TO NEW CELL PHONES AND NEW NUMBERS, I THINK WE WILL STILL DO A BETTER JOB OF RETAINING THEM AND BEING ABLE TO TRACK THEM DOWN WITH THE
CELL PHONE. >> SPEAKER: I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COLLEGE STUDENTS. I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE PUBLIC IN GENERAL. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A COURT DATE AND MAYBE SIX WEEKS LATER SOMEBODY CHANGES THEIR PHONE NUMBER BEFORE AND DON'T GET THE TEXT MESSAGE.
ARE YOU GOING TO REMIND THEM OF THIS SET UP WHEN THEY COME TO COURT THAT THEY MUST HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY CHANGE NUMBERS THEY NEED TO NOTIFY THE COURT?
>> SPEAKER: YES, MA'AM, AND AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS DEALING WITH HUMANS. WE REMIND THEM EVERY TIME THEY COME TO COURT AND SIGN A PAYMENT PLAN THAT IF THEY MOVE THEY HAVE TO TELL US IF YOU DON'T MAKE A PAYMENT HAVE TO COME TO COURT.
AND ALL I HEAR AFTER THAT IS, I DIDN'T KNOW.
IT IS RIGHT THERE SIGNED IN WRITING.
WE ARE CERTAINLY GOING TO DO OUR BEST.
IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ME OR THE CITY IN ANY FORM OR FASHION TO HAVE FOLKS IN THIS COURT WE HAVE VICTIMS THAT TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK TO COME SIT IN COURT WAITING ON THEIR CURRENT -- CASE TO BE HEARD IN THE PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP.
HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT AS A COURTESY WE WILL GIVE THESE FOLKS A SECOND CHANCE TO COME TO COURT.
WE DON'T BENEFIT AT ALL BY PEOPLE NOT SHOWING UP.
WE ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE WE GET PEOPLE
IN THE PEWS. >> SPEAKER: JUDGE, THEY ARE NOTIFIED BY MAIL ALSO EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT?
>> SPEAKER: YES, MA'AM. IF YOU GET A CITATION IN THE CITY OF AUBURN YOU GET AS COURT DATE BEFORE YOU DRIVE OFF TICKET TO GET ARRESTED YOU GET A COURT DATE AT THE JAIL.
WHEN YOU COME TO COURT WE PRINT OUT A NEW COURT DATE IF YOUR CASE GETS CONTINUED. WE GIVE YOU KNEW COURT DATE THEN. IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP WE MAIL YOU A COURTESY NEW COURT DATE WHICH A LOT OF COURTS DON'T DO BECAUSE
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IT IS A HASSLE AND A PAPERWORK NIGHTMARE.IF YOU DON'T SHOW UP THE SECOND TIME THEN THE ISSUE A WRIT FOR YOUR ARREST. WE PAPER FOLKS TO DEATH BUT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO GET THEM TO COME TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE FRANKLY, IT IS A LOT CHEAPER ON EVERYBODY IF THEY COME TO COURT AND THEY DON'T PICK UP $300 IN FAILURE TO APPEAR FEES AND HAVE TO THEN PAY THAT.
IT IS A LOT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY IF THEY HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS.
>> SPEAKER: JUDGE, DO YOU SEE THE NUMBERS IMPROVING WITH CODE RESTRICTIONS AND EVERYBODY COME BACK TO CAMPUS?
>> SPEAKER: I CAN'T TELL YOU, COUNCILMAN.
I HOPE SO. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY KNOW THIS AS WELL AS ANYBODY, HOPE IT IS NOW EVERYBODY'S GO TO EXCUSE/REASON. I HAVE FOLKS TELL ME, I ASKED THEM WHY HAVEN'T YOU PAY YOUR FINES.
JUDGE, COVID. THESE FINDS ARE 6 YEARS OLD PRE-COVID IS NOT THAT OLD. AND THEN IT IS SOMETHING ELSE.
I AM AFRAID THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE IT INGRAINED IN THEIR SYSTEM THAT IF I DON'T GO TO COURT, I WILL JUST TELL THEM I WAS AFRAID OF COVID. IT DOESN'T STOP THEM FROM GETTING IN FIGHTS IN CLUBS AND GOING WHEREVER THEY WANT TO DO AND GETTING IN TROUBLE, BUT APPARENTLY OUR COURT SYSTEM IS MORE PRONE TO COVID THAN EVERYWHERE ELSE, IF YOU BELIEVE SOME OF THE PUBLIC. BUT I HOPE -- THAT'S THE PLAN THAT WE WILL HAVE A SYSTEM BETTER AND GET MORE PEOPLE IN TO
TAKE CARE OF THINGS. >> SPEAKER: I KNOW WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD POPULATION GROWTH AND HAVE FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.
DO YOU FEEL THE COURTS, WE HAVE A NEW BUILDING EVERYTHING.
RESOURCE WISE YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE POPULATION GROWTH AND
CASES INCREASE? >> SPEAKER: WELL, WE CAN ALWAYS USE A RAISE. NO, WE HAVE HAD A RETIREMENT AND ANOTHER MAGISTRATE LEAVE IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
WE HAVE REPLACED THEM. I THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE IT WHERE WE DON'T NEED AS MANY BODIES AS SOME OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT AROUND THE COURT HAVE. WE ARE PROBABLY ONE THIRD OF THE SIZE OF EMPLOYEES THAT TUSCALOOSA EMPLOYEES.
AS THE POPULATION CONTINUES TO GROW, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL NEEDS. RIGHT NOW I THINK WE HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED. I ENVISION IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS I WILL BE IN COURT FOUR DAYS A WEEK INSTEAD OF THREE, BUT THAT IS ALL GOING TO DEPEND ON HOW THE COVID SHAKES OUT WHEN FOLKS START COMING BACK TO COURT IN DROVES OR NOT.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU SIR. >> SPEAKER: ANY OF THE QUESTION
FOR THE JUDGE? >> SPEAKER: YOU SAID WORKING WITH UP TRUST, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT UP TRUST.
>> SPEAKER: UP TRUST IS, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, JUST A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREATED THIS SOFTWARE PROGRAM AND IT IS AT ITS CORE JUST A TEXT MESSAGE REMINDER SYSTEM.
THEY HAVE GOTTEN IN TOUCH WITH THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER BECAUSE AGAIN SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER WANTS EVERYBODY TO GET AS MUCH ACCESS TO THE COURTS AND AS MUCH OF A HELPING HAND IN THE COURT SYSTEM AS THEY CAN. THIS GROUP IS -- THEY ARE CURRENTLY IN -- I DON'T WANT TO LIE TO YOU, BUT I THINK THEY ARE IN MONTGOMERY, THE HOOVER COURT SYSTEM, AND THEY MAY BE IN PELHAM. EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM IS WONDERFUL. THEY SEEM TO GET GOOD RESPONSES.
THEY SEEM TO GET A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY COME TO COURT THAT DAY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO LOCK THEM UP.
OUR ISSUE ISN'T WITH UP TRUST, IT IS OUR OTHER COMPUTER PROVIDER THAT DOES OUR DAILY CASE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
WE CAN'T GET THEM TO SET A TIME WITH GREG AND OUR GUYS TO INSTALL THE UPDATE. I AM DILIGENTLY WORKING ON THAT.
I HAVE GOT ANOTHER PHONE CALL IN THE MORNING TO SEE IF ANY -- TO SEE IF HE CAN GET THAT TOGETHER. UP TRUST IS A BUNCH OF GUYS AND GIRLS THAT HAVE THOUGHT THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO TRY TO HELP COURTS
GET PEOPLE IN COURT. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: ANY THING ELSE? >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU, JUDGE.
I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
SERVE THE CITY OF AUBURN. >> SPEAKER: ANY QUESTIONS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA FOR THE CITY MANAGER?
MS. CROUCH, ANYTHING FOR US? >> SPEAKER: NO, SIR.
>> SPEAKER: MOVED TO ADJOURN THE COMMIT
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.