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SEP 9 1996 BOOK 646 Attorney Vitunac explained that the state passed a law a few years ago allowing counties to pass a local ordinance which would establish an additional filing fee in court and the money is to be put into what is called a court facilities fund to be used for court facilities, including a law library. Over the year certain facilities have been paid for out of these funds, i.e., a closed circuit video system for the jail and courtroom to expedite First Appearances, law library shelving, and CRT's for the Clerk for the court system. Judge Smith would like the funds to be used for a fifth courtroom and retained only for use in capital planning. Commissioner Bird pointed out that the Judge actually is asking that the monies expended for the above items be repaid back to the fund, and this involves quite a sum of money. Chairman Scurlock believed the key issue is the new and additional courtroom facilities, and he felt it would be naive to think we can do those kind of capital improvements out of the small amount generated by that fund. The Chairman noted that we --did some study, and we have a great many space needs that need to r be analyzed. He believed the legal community wants a commitment that we are going to do the necessary planning for the court facilities done for the future. Commissioner Lyons advised that he was intending shortly to ask the Public Safety Committee to start a study of our court and jail needs again. Chairman Scurlock pointed out that the County Commission created the ordinance allowing the collection of the additional filing fee, and if we created it, we can do away with it. Since we did create it, he believed we know what our intent was with regard to the use of these funds. Attorney David Albrecht appeared before the Board as President of the Indian River County Bar Association and at the specific request of Judge Smith and Judge Vocelle. He agreed that, to put this in perspective, they are talking about a new 26 s M