Vermont courthouses may close for half-day

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By Dave Gram ASSOCIATED PRESS

MONTPELIER, Vt. | Lawmakers have approved a round of budget cuts designed to respond to sagging state revenue. Among the results - Vermont's courthouses likely will close for a half-day each week.

The Legislature's Joint Fiscal Committee on Wednesday largely agreed with proposals by Gov. Jim Douglas, a Republican, to trim the state general fund budget for the current fiscal year by $22 million.

That may mean that beginning Oct. 1, Vermont's courthouses will shut down to the public for a half-day each week. Under the plan, doors would be locked and phones not answered while staff reduced by unfilled vacancies catch up with work.

Patricia Gabel, spokeswoman for the Vermont Supreme Court, said judiciary officials are still looking for any alternative ways to avoid the reduction in hours by absorbing a budget cut of about $827,000 in some other way.

"The plan is to consult with court managers to determine in each court what is the best way we can achieve the savings we need while having the least impact on public access to the courts," Ms. Gabel said.

"The kinds of questions we're asking are should all the courts be closed the same half day each week? Does it make sense to have some courts closed at different times? We're pretty much into that kind of micro-planning at the moment," she said.

Some of the judiciary cost savings would come from not needing security personnel during the times when courts are closed. Most courts pay for those services under hourly contracts with county sheriffs' departments, Ms. Gabel said.

The idea of the cuts didn't set well with at least one security guard at the Chittenden Superior Court. Security officer John Hathaway, said closing courts even for half a day a week would cause backlogs.

"It's definitely not going to be to anybody's advantage to close it. Everything will just get backed up. I don't think it's such a good idea," he said.

State officials are to get an updated revenue forecast in November, and there's growing concern that the 2.6 percent budget cut announced for the judiciary on Wednesday may grow to 5 percent in November. Court Administrator Lee Suskin said that likely would mean closing some courthouses altogether.

Ms. Gabel said the judiciary was prepared to tighten its belt, but wanted to be sure it can continue to meet the missions set out for it under the Vermont Constitution and state law.

"We don't have any illusions in the judicial branch about the somewhat pessimistic economic news that we're facing," she said. "The court system knows that it needs to participate with everyone else in government and with all Vermonters in identifying ways to make it through this tough time."