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. 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.
Briefly stated, the basic project 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 Court Facilities Improvement Advisory Committee convened in January 2008 to review the fourth round of applications for grant funds. Twenty-eight applications were received. The total amount of grant funds requested was $754,991.17. The total amount of grants awarded was $300,730.10. The Advisory Committee awarded grant funds to 22 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. Barnes $2,512.50 Repair plaster in judge's office; paint judge's and support staff offices and judge's vestibule.
2. Benson $978.75 Case file open shelving for clerk's office; prime, paint, patch clerks' offices.
3. Bowman $6,615.00 Jury chairs for courtroom..
4. Dickey $22,551.15 Restore courtroom mural; decorate courtroom ceiling; courtroom carpet; blinds for judge's chambers; replace electrical piping in judge's chambers, clerk's office, jury room and break room; new courtroom lights.
5. Eddy $97,643.22 Install aluminum clad wood windows in courtroom, court offices, and court bathroom.
6. Emmons $4,962.75 Workstation for clerk and deputy clerk; transaction hutches for clerk and deputy clerk; file cabinet for deputy clerk workstation; courtroom desk and hutch for clerk; courtroom desk for court recorder; courtroom lectern.
7. Foster $3,104.25 Installation of ductless air conditioner in clerk's office.
8. Grant $3,299.25 Install three stationary file units and two bi-slider units for case files.
9. Griggs $4,026.38 Refinish window jams and sills in courtroom and jury room; carpet for clerk's office.
10. Logan $5,899.16 Replace carpeting in courtroom and jury room; new table top for library table; refinish furniture pews and benches.
11. McHenry $2,491.88 Repair and refinish tables in courtroom, judge's chambers, jury room, and judge's escape room; install blinds in jury room and judge's escape room.
12. Nelson $1,200.00 Paint main floor judge's office; paint third floor judge's chambers and install new furniture (desk, chair, guest chairs).
13. Pembina $6,257.97 Replace carpet in courtroom and judicial chambers; paint and window treatments for judicial chambers.
14. Pierce $7,122.75 Replace carpet in courtroom, window treatments, window roller shades for clerk's office.
15. Ramsey $83,025.00 Renovation of Courtroom #1 (modify bench, new workspace top, relocate court recorder wiring, modify witness box, install microphone jacks, new carpet, reupholster juror chairs); replace temporary wall between judge's office and library with permanent wall; remove vault; renovate juvenile court office.
16. Ransom $1,875.00 Kevlar for courtroom bench; courtroom clock; media cart for TV and VCR.
17. Richland $20,619.00 Replace window blinds; replace large window with safety glass; refinish doors, window frames, judge's bench, paneling behind bench; install ceramic tile in courtroom seating area.
18. Rolette $566.25 Remodel clerk's office (remove portion of wall to allow view of public counter, new counter for public terminal, install window in hallway door).
19. Sheridan $5,111.25 Replace twelve jury base chairs.
20. Steele $11,115.71 Repair and paint courtroom walls; new jury, counsel, and defendant/witness chairs; renovate courtroom conference room.
21. Traill $5,007.26 New carpet for clerk's office; replace juror chairs in deliberation room; dry erase board in jury deliberation room.
22. Ward $4,745.62 New counsel chairs; courtroom carpet.