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Regular City Council Meeting <br />August 18 2003 <br />Page 10 <br />Councilman Bell suggested hiring a Clerk that is bilingual. Judge Hunt <br />advised that is someone that every department will need at some time. He said <br />they have two or three interpreters that are available to them. He said they are <br />paid $25.00 per appearance and if it is a trial, the law says you can pay them <br />up to $100.00 a day; but if you had a bilingual clerk, that would cut that from <br />the budget. Judge Hunt advised that would not work because it is not good to <br />have a Court Clerk interpreting and telling the Court what that person is <br />saying. <br />Councilman Plata asked Mr. Anderson if there is a revenue section on these <br />collections. He said that there are several fees, fines, court costs, etc., and a <br />portion of that goes to the State. Mr. Anderson said this shows up in a special <br />revenue fund. <br />Judge Hunt said when they move into the new Police and Court Building, they <br />intend to have their area secured. At this time, they are the most unsecured <br />Police and Court building in the United States. He said that there is a Security <br />Fund with funds in it. This fund was established in 1995 by City Ordinance <br />18-23(2) as authorized by state law, Article 102-017 Code of Criminal <br />Procedure. A fee in the amount of $3.00 for each conviction is collected by <br />the court for municipal court building security fund which may be used only <br />for items specified in the state law and ordinance. The balance of this fund is <br />approximately $77,655.00. Judge Hunt said a bailiff will be needed to man <br />the metal detector located at the entrance of the court room during the hours <br />court is in session, which will be approximately 16 - 20 hours per week. This <br />position can be contract security personnel and can be paid from the court <br />security fund. <br />Judge Hunt advised that through July they have collected $489,879.00, an <br />average of $48,988.00 per month. Mr. Anderson told the City Council that the <br />money is collected and is placed in a payable account that goes to the State of <br />Texas. Councilman Guest said you are going to spend around $225,000.00 <br />and you are going to bring in a revenue to the city in the amount of <br />