Municipal Court gets extra funds

Thursday, Oct. 7, 1999 | noon

The Las Vegas Municipal Court will get $237,000 from the city for new staff positions to help improve customer service.

The City Council on Wednesday approved the court's request for seven full-time clerks, an hourly clerk and several promotions of clerks to supervisory positions.

The employees are needed to cope with tremendous lines and wait times plaguing residents who need to pay traffic fines or attend misdemeanor hearings at the City Hall court.

In 1996 Municipal Court introduced a three-year efficiency plan in an effort to reduce its operating expenses and stave off threatened absorption by the Clark County Justice Court.

While expenses have dropped 20.5 percent and revenues rose 32 percent, customer service suffered due to a 22 percent decrease in staff and a reduction in court hours of operation.

The entire $237,851 request approved Wednesday would cost $306,354 in the 2001 fiscal year.

The court's fiscal year 1999 budget revenues of $11.6 million, coupled with expenses of $11.3 million, will cover the cost of the request.