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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Ind. Courts - More on: Should a judge be able to select the copier for his court?
Updating this ILB entry from April 17th, Ken de la Bastide reports today in the Kokomo Tribune in a story headed "Council approves copier request: Judge says it will save the county $1 million":
Kokomo — Superior Court 1 Judge Bill Menges received approval from the Howard County Council to purchase a new copier for his court. * * *At the council meeting Tuesday, Menges said he learned last week the more expensive copier will allow for faster preparation of Abstracts of Judgment, which transfer inmates to the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Once those documents are signed, Menges said, the state pays the county $35 per day for each inmate until they are transferred from the Howard County jail to a state correctional facility.
Menges said the 501 copier is not fast enough to process that paperwork. Also, he said the 601 has a longer expected lifespan and would save the county money in the long run.
He predicted a savings of $1 million to the county between the life of the copier and transferring inmates to the state at a faster pace.
He said the 601 is 67 percent faster and scans at a higher resolution. * * *
He said he has more technology experience than the other judges because of operating a private law office in the past. * * *
Menges said it’s a question of what funds are used to purchase the copier. He said the commissioners could appropriate funds from the Cumulative Capital Fund; the council could make an additional appropriation from the general fund; or the auditor could use unappropriated funds.
He said when he took office in 2003, he supplied computers, laptops, copiers, scanners and office furniture for the court at no cost to the county.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 27, 2011 12:01 PM
Posted to Indiana Courts