Hammond City Councilmen Anthony Higgs and Robert Markovich

Hammond City Council efficiently closes Hammond City Court

Contributed By:The 411 News

With an efficiency not usually attributed to city hall, the Hammond City Council approved an ordinance Monday night to turn out its 2nd floor roommate, the Hammond City Court.

And efficient was the word often used by those from the legal profession to describe their dealings with the court, like Randy Godshalk and former Hammond City Court Judge Pete Katic, who spoke in support of keeping the busy court open.

The 6-3 vote came after a long and tumultuous discussion. During the public portion, court supporters asked the council to delay the vote and consider putting together a committee to study the budgets of the court, clerk, and jail and find ways to reduce those costs.

City court Judge Amy Jorgensen also asked for a delay in the vote. “Give the court a year to see if the court could get to a cost neutral position, one that all could agree on. If in a year we can’t meet that goal, then let’s begin to wind down the court.”

Pete Torres and Anthony Higgs, the lone councilmen who had opposed the ordinance at its inception were joined by councilman Robert Markovich.

Torres request to table the vote on the ordinance was defeated. Markovich’s noble but futile attempt at a filibuster, by not yielding the floor, led to rounds of shouting matches with the chair calling for order. Ultimately, the presence of Hammond police officers closing in on the panel and waiting for a signal to interfere ended all attempts to obstruct the vote.

The ordinance to close the court was introduced at the council’s first meeting in December, not long after then Indiana Governor Mike Pence named Jorgensen to the vacant Hammond City Court judge position, left open when presiding Judge Jeffrey Harkin died in April 2016. Indiana law lets the governor name a replacement when an elected judge does not complete their term.

Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott immediately criticized the governor and the new judge.

“This move by the outgoing Governor is wrong for Hammond,” McDermott said in a statement soon after the November 21 appointment. “Had anyone from the Pence administration asked me as the city’s four term mayor who I thought would be effective in this position, I could have supplied him with names of qualified Republicans in Hammond who would have been thrilled with this opportunity. Instead, the city of Hammond will get an appointed political ally of Gov. Pence who admits to have never practiced law and doesn’t live in our city.”

Ordinance 1636, sponsored by 5th District Councilman Dave Woerpel, cited the financial burdens of keeping the court as the city confronts falling tax revenues. Anticipating a $4 million to $5 million loss in revenues when the tax caps take full effect in 2020, Woerpel said the $1.5 million the court costs to operate was just the first piece identified to reduce the city’s expenses.

After the vote, Mayor McDermott said he is looking at other reductions to the city budget that includes the city jail.

Story Posted:01/11/2017