Title
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF MACEDONIA FOR JAIL SERVICES FOR CITY OF HUDSON PRISONERS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
Executive Summary: This resolution will allow the Stow Municipal Court judges to give sentenced misdemeanants (for crimes committed in Hudson) jail time as is appropriate for certain offenses.
Body
Legislative History
There is no legislative history for this request.
Purpose & Explanation
Judge Hoover, on behalf of the judges at the Stow Municipal Court, met with President of Council Hal DeSaussure, City Manager Jane Howington, City Solicitor R. Todd Hunt, and the Chief of Police David Robbins on January 14, 2015, and gave an impassioned plea for Hudson to create a budget line for outside jail usage to be utilized by the judges in the sentencing of convicted misdemeanants. He stated Hudson is unique among the cities using the court in not having such a line, which makes uniform and consistent sentencing difficult in open court, especially when individuals so convicted from other jurisdictions are given jail time, while he is unable to do the same for Hudson's convicted misdemeanants.
The Hudson Police Department has only a temporary holding facility (no more than two hours); the department has been using the Portage County Jail for arrested subjects not making bond or otherwise unable to be released on an as-needed basis. This present budget line does not allow for post-conviction sentencing.
This agreement will allow Hudson Police to use Macedonia's jail for both purposes, reducing the travel time needed to drop-off and pick-up prisoners; further, Macedonia is linked to the Stow Municipal Court, allowing video arraignments further reducing, and in some cases eliminating, the time spent in the transport of prisoners. Being able to utilize the jail will also meet the requested needs of the judges and court.
Timing Considerations
Due to the immediate need for this ...
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