Section 27-05.2-10, NDCC, authorizes grants from the Court Facilities Improvement and
Maintenance Fund for county projects to improve or maintain court facilities. The Fund receives
revenue from a share of a $100 fee applied to all criminal cases except infractions. The Court
Facilities Improvement Advisory Committee is established under Section 27-05.2-09, NDCC, to
receive applications for grants and make awards for projects that qualify for grant funds. Briefly
stated, the basic requirements are that the improvement or maintenance project must be a necessary
improvement to court facilities or essential to remodel or maintain existing court facilities. The
county is required by statute to provide local funding for the project in an amount equal to at least
25% of the project's total cost. Additionally, Section 27-05.2-10 requires that at least 25% of the
available grant funds be allocated to counties with a population of less than 7,500. The Committee
is comprised of the following members: Sally Holewa, State Court Administrator and Committee
Chair; Scott Wagner, Cass County Commissioner, Dwayne Erickson, Foster County Commissioner;
Stan Lyson, State Senator; and Jim Hill, State Bar Association representative.
The Court Facilities Advisory Committee convened in January 2005 to review the first round
of applications for grant funds. Twenty-nine applications were received. The total amount of grant
funds requested was $747,708.94; the total amount of grant funds available was $620,960. The total
amount of grants awarded was $330,174. The Advisory Committee awarded grant funds to 28
counties.
Listed below in alphabetical order are the counties that received grant awards, the amount
of the award, and a brief description of the project.
1. Adams $3,750 Repair and update room adjacent to the courtroom (for
attorney conferences, juvenile service area, depositions,
waiting area) and refurbish juror chairs.
2. Barnes $31,500 Preparation and painting of large courtroom; window
replacement; wall fabric; refinish rails, benches, chairs;
electrical upgrades; carpeting.
3. Burke $1,638 Remove old speaker system, install new system, coordinate
new system with recording system.
4. Cass $46,875 Removal and replacement of carpeting and baseboards,
furniture removal and reinstallation (4 courtrooms) - first
phase of multi-phase project.
5. Cavalier $52,701.55 Replacement of windows in courtroom and judicial wing,
install new sound system in courtroom.
6. Dickey $41,213.25 New sound system in courtroom; replacement of windows in
clerk's office, judge's chambers, courtroom; new lights in
courtroom; replace blinds in courtroom.
7. Divide $4,190 Repair outlets and wiring, install pubic address system, new
flags, install vertical blinds.
8. Foster $4,638.75 Install two air conditioners in courtroom.
9. Grant $1,809.95 Install camera with video and audio capabilities in courtroom.
10. Griggs $5,625 Install air conditioner with heat pumps in courtroom.
11. Logan $2,804 Install separate thermostat and plumbing for temperature
control in courtroom; install new windows and carpeting in
clerk's office.
12. McHenry $7,470.75 Update courtroom - new carpeting, drapes.
13. McIntosh $1902.37 Install wireless panic buttons in clerk's office, courtroom, and
judge's chambers.
14. McKenzie $9,408.75 Install bulletproof material in courtroom and replace jury
seating.
15. Nelson $948 Install additional electrical outlets and receptacles; install
raceway to conceal cables.
16. Oliver $15,726.75 Audio system in courtroom, replace chairs in courtroom,
move witness stand, close open side of judge's chambers, new
bookshelf, new carpeting.
19. Ransom $5,881.16 Construct wall for hallway and sound barrier between court
chambers and rear of courtroom, remove wall to create larger
room out of 2 rooms (use as juror room or other purposes), air
conditioner, refrigerator.
20. Sargent $4,738.50 Replace counsel tables and chairs, replace air conditioner.
21. Sheridan $875 Install new carpet in courtroom.
22. Sioux $60,000 Part of courthouse addition for new courtroom, judge's
chambers, conference rooms (approximately 40% of
courthouse construction project) - subject to review of
blueprints.
23. Slope $675 Oak cabinet to house court recording equipment, including
bookshelf.
24. Stark $64,511.53 Installation of air conditioning in basement courtroom and
computer room.
25. Stutsman $54,135 Remodeling of clerk's office (removal of walls, construction
of new wall, painting, replace wallpaper); install new security
window and counter, relocation of lights, outlets, alarm
buttons; new work stations.
26. Towner $3,105 Refinish furniture in courtroom and jury room (attorney
tables, jury room table, 23 chairs), television with VCR/DVD,
air conditioner.
27. Ward $71,250 Remodel for additional judge chamber and conference room,
remodel and relocate court administration area.
28. Williams $14,274 Recarpet district court offices, courtroom, library, jury room,
judge chambers; replace baseboards; install cameras; install
electrical outlets.