Cook County could lose its court under governor’s proposal to cut court costs

Submitted by wtip on Thu, 03/20/2008 - 1:04pm.

Commissioners expressed dismay over an article published in the Duluth News Tribune last Saturday. The article outlines a plan proposed by Governor Tim Pawlenty designed to cut the cost of operating courts throughout the state. The plan would affect county courts that don’t have a sitting judge. Cook County currently employs Lake County District Judge Kenneth Sandvik who travels the distance to Cook County every other week to hear cases. County Attorney Tim Scannell commented on the proposal saying, “I don’t know that it would save any costs. Maybe it would shift cost to commissioners from the state, and maybe that’s the goal. But I don’t know that it would actually save any money.” County Commissioner Bob Fenwick said he was surprised not to have had any direct communication about the issue from the state adding, “How right is it that something that is the key thing that counties are in existence for, you read about in the paper and you don’t even hear about it from the governor’s office? I mean give me a break. That’s a proverbial slap in the face if there ever was one.”  Commissioners agreed to draft a strongly worded letter to the governor and the chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court expressing the board’s surprise regarding the proposal and demanding a response.