DEPARTMENT: Law Library
FILE TYPE: Consent Action
TITLE
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Authorization To Execute Grant Agreement With Dakota County Law Library For American Rescue Plan Act State And Local Fiscal Recovery Funds
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PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Authorize execution of grant agreement with the Dakota County Law Library for American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF).
SUMMARY
Adequate law library resources serve the citizens hardest hit by the current economic environment or who may otherwise encounter barriers to navigating our judicial system. All county law libraries are governed by Minnesota Statutes Chapter 134A. The statute also specifies how fees are determined. No taxes are used to fund the Dakota County Law Library. Funding is generated by collecting a fee from filings associated with court cases, both civil and criminal. All expenses including salaries and benefits for Law Library employees are paid from the filing fee income. Fee income for years 2020 through 2022 is down between 24 and 33 percent annually from 2019 revenue levels and current trends do not indicate signs of recovery to former levels. Due to the increasing cost of materials, staff salaries and benefits, and the simultaneous lack of growth in filing fee revenues, the Law Library fund balance is drawn upon annually to fund law library services. Law Library fund balance is anticipated to be depleted by mid-2024.
By Resolution No. 21-618 (December 14, 2021) and No. 22-507 (November 15, 2022), the County Board approved using ARP State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for a Law Library grant of $115,000 for revenue replacement in 2022. By Resolution No. 22-575 (December 13, 2022), the County Board approved using ARP State and Local Recovery Funds for a Law Library grant of $150,000 for revenue replacement in 2023. Annual ARP grants combats revenue shortfalls and in the absence of increases to court filing fees, are necessary to sustain law library operations at current s...
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