Court fees could be added for security upgrades

Carson City could add a $20 district court filing fee to improve courthouse security.

City supervisors will consider the First Judicial District Court fee at their meeting Thursday.

The fee would raise about $90,000 annually for added security at the city courthouse, said Court Administrator Max Cortes.

Security upgrades could include better visitor screening, more protection for judges and more funding for the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, she said.

U.S. Marshals said in 2006 that the courthouse needed to improve security, Cortes said.

"Because of the local economy, we have not been able to do that," she said.

The city has the option to raise the fees under Assembly Bill 65, which passed this year. The bill, sponsored by the Nevada Judiciary, gives counties the option to raise district court filing fees up to $20 specifically for court security.

This can include security supplies, security training, construction improvements, security audits and new bailiffs and security guards.

Bill Gang, a Nevada Judiciary representative, said the judiciary supported the bill because counties around the state need help improving their courthouses.

Large county courthouses like Clark County's have new judges and rural county courthouses such as White Pine's need upgrades. U.S. Marshals have declared the White Pine County courthouse unfit, he said.

Courthouses always look for new security and this bill will help, Gang said.

"It will give the courts a bit of funding that can be used for a variety of purposes," he said.

The $20 district court fee would be on top of other filing fees already in place. Fees range from $10 for a request to enforce a court judgment to $1,359 for some business-related filings.

Cortes said she isn't sure yet how much CASA will get if the fee passes, but the court is excited about helping the program. CASA trains volunteers to help children in the legal system who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.

Funds from the court could help CASA "achieve ongoing financial stability," Chris Bayer, CASA executive director, said in a statement.

"We want to be a stable organization and be here for the kids into the future," he said. "Volunteer court advocacy is mandated by Nevada law for children in child welfare cases. It makes a difference."

Also at the meeting, supervisors will consider:

• A private windmill ordinance: They have to approve it twice to make it law. The ordinance would allow private windmills to be up to 60 feet tall. Noise could be up to 50 decibels on properties more than an acre and 25 decibels on properties less than an acre. One windmill per acre would be allowed. One vertical-style windmill would be allowed on properties less than one acre. Supervisors approved a more lenient ordinance earlier this year but rejected it on a second vote.

• An agreement with the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada to build a recreation center next to the club's new building at Northridge Drive and Russell Way. The city would pay the club $375,000 under the 10-year agreement. The city indefinitely delayed construction of the recreation center this year because of a lack of funds.