Members of the Brockport Village Board have unanimously approved the creation of the position of village justice, paving the way for the creation of a village court.
The vote came during the regular meeting of the board October 7. Board members also unanimously passed a resolution authorizing $27,000 in funds for set up of a village court in the village hall.
The resolution regarding the office of village justice creates two justice positions with judges elected to four year terms.
Brockport Mayor Margaret Blackman said the resolution is now subject to permissive referendum. If no petition is filed to bring the issue to a public vote, the resolution will take effect 30 days after its adoption, the mayor said.
Funds for the court set-up will come “from delinquent parking ticket income,” Blackman said.
Blackman said village officials and Town of Sweden officials have met over the possibility of sharing the town’s court facilities and although no agreement was reached, the possibility remains open.
In other business, Trustee John La Pierre presented a report to the board regarding overtime costs in the Brockport Village Police Department.
His report focused on overtime hours in the area of staffing – when officers need to cover shifts for officers who are not able to work.
The department currently has a staff of 11 people including three part-time officers, La Pierre said. He recommended adding three full time police officers to the force.
The move would cost the village $29,633 initially, La Pierre explained, because of the savings in overtime. He reported three new full time positions are expected to cut overtime used for covering shifts by 75 percent.
By 2016/17, the new officers would cost the village $119,642, La Pierre said.
The hires would also result in better police coverage of the village, La Pierre explained, with 45 more hours of police coverage per week.
La Pierre said he would bring a resolution forward on creating the three new full time police officer positions during the October 21 meeting of the board.
10/13/13
