Dueling Audits & Other Issues Raised as Clerk of the Court Emphasizes Progress with Technology

2016 Cook County Proposed Budget:  Clerk of the Circuit Court, October 29, 2015

The 65-page budget presentation provided to the Finance Committee by the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Dorothy Brown, may be found under “Meeting Details” for the Finance Committee’s October 29 meeting in the http://cook-county.legistar.com web site.  The Clerk emphasized the progress being made to utilize technology to eliminate paper and to provide faster and more accurate service to judges, attorneys, and the public.  The office has come under criticism for incomplete files, slow service, and the time being taken to roll out electronic filings throughout the court system.  The Clerk stated that all paper documents are now imaged which allows for electronic access in all areas of the law, except minor traffic ticket cases, which should be implemented in 2016.  Currently her office is reviewing responses for a new case management system.  However, only a few questions were raised by the Commissioners with regard to the office’s use of technology.  The Clerk emphasized that the increase in the budget for 2016 is due solely to salary increases for union and non-union employees which have been approved by the County Board.

Dueling Audits

Clerk Brown told the Finance Committee that an independent audit of the financial statements of the Office issued in May of 2015 for fiscal year 2014 showed no concerns.  However, Commissioner Suffredin said that there were a number of concerns raised in the audit done by the County Auditor which the Commissioners had received the day before.  Commissioner Suffredin said that the County Audit stated that no response has been received from the Clerk to the issues raised, which would have been expected.  Clerk Brown said that there were many inaccuracies in the County Audit and she complained that she had never been invited to a conference with the County Auditor, which should be normal procedure.  County Auditor Shelley Banks was asked to respond, and she stated that her office had followed normal procedures and had worked with both the Chief of Staff and the Chief Financial Officer under Clerk Brown; both of these employees had been involved throughout the audit process. Commissioner Suffredin urged Clerk Brown to provide a response to the Auditor quickly prior to the Board’s Audit Committee meeting on this audit. The Commissioner also stated that the Board has full confidence in the County Auditor.

Commissioner Moore asked about the $600,000 being budgeted for overtime.  The Clerk stated that while she tries to utilize shifts to minimize overtime, if a case goes late, the clerk employee must stay.  Commissioner Daley asked when all the court records will be consolidated in the new Cicero storage facility.  The Clerk stated that all records at the Hawthorne facility will be transferred by the end of 2015, while those at Rockwell will be moved in 2016.  The Clerk explained that the Board did not appropriate the money to do the moves sooner.  Commissioner Garcia asked about complaints he has heard as a result of the Sheriff’s office receiving inaccurate or incomplete court records for determining whether someone should be released or retained at the jail.  The Clerk stated the problem was with the Sheriff’s system which needs to be reprogrammed.  [Note: this issue was not raised when the Sheriff appeared before the Finance Committee on November 2.]

-- Priscilla Mims, League Observer

Departmental Review Meetings for the 2015 Budget, October 22, 2014

BUREAU OF TECHNOLOGY

Simona Rollinson, director of the Bureau of Technology began by explaining what her department did. She stated that her department was responsible for the County’s data center, wide area high-speed network, office technology and phone and wireless devices. They also plan, develop and manage software applications, websites and geographic information systems (GIS) to improve workflow process in County offices and meet County residents and business needs for simple responsive transparent and cost effective government. Some of their recent accomplishments include:

• Implemented County-wide email systems
• Installed a jail inmate phone and broadband system and integrate technology to manage criminal justice system
•  Designed and implemented a video conferencing network to improve communication with municipality
•   Reduced telephone cost by reducing the total number of telephone system 
•  Improve property

Some of the issues facing this department are the cost of maintaining Technology and improving Technology. The concern is that by the time they bid-accept and implement systems they are outdated and the maintenance cost of these systems is high.  The cost of consultants in particular has made the cost of maintaining and improving technology very expensive. Disaster recovery system is also very costly. It was suggested that they look into consulting with smaller firms instead of the larger companies.

Commissioners Suffredin, Gorman and Sims all expressed frustration with the Bureau of Technology. They feel that money is allocated to purchase new technology and by the time it is ready to go it is outdated. There has been a lot of turnover in the job of director and all the new directors have asked for more money to improve services but the Commissioners do not see that services have improved. Commissioners suggested that top IT people should be brought in to help with the system with better cooperation from all departments. Commissioner Gorman wants a chart of the past, present and future needs of technology. 

SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

Sheriff Tom Dart stated that as of today there are 11,677 people incarcerated at Cook County Jail, the average amount is 9,000. 38% of those incarcerated suffer from a mental illness. There are 1700 on electronic monitoring with 70 of those not having a place to go. There is a need to increase the amount of beds and the department is working on this. The biggest issue is that many of these people cannot pay the bond and have no place to go due in part because many of these people suffer from mental illness.

There has been a decrease in the number of employees hired and there is a need to consolidate courthouses especially the old ones like 51^st & Wentworth and Harrison & Kedzie.  By consolidating these courthouses they will save money, provide better security and better services. Sheriff Dart is pleased with the program of using detainees with minor offenses to teardown abandoned houses.

Sheriff Dart stated that they are in a good position with staff, however, there is an overtime issue that has some concern. Overtime is expensive. The issue is more prevalent with employees of the Department of Corrections. They call in sick more often than those of other departments.

Commissioner Suffredin asked if Sherriff Dart will see an issue if the Pension Bill is passed.  Andrea Gibson from the Sheriff Department budget review stated that they are preparing for if bill passes but no extra money has been set aside.

In technology, the Sheriff’s Department purchased a new computer system and is working with local police departments to have them join this system. This system is a cooperative system that will allow the Sheriff’s Department to share information on criminals, etc. with local municipalities. 

CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

Clerk Dorothy Brown stated that the Clerk of the Circuit Court serves the citizens of Cook County and participants in the judicial system in an efficient, effective and ethical manor. There were 4 key items that the Clerk’s office strived to do:

11.  21^st Century information technology

·         Website that is easy to use and clearly organized

·         Online traffic ticket system

·         An online interactive court system connecting Judges, State’s attorney, public defender to allow them to file online and to send records

·         System with the Sheriff to send information electronically on whether to retain or detain prisoners.

·         Image and document system to be able to send records and forms electronically so that they do away with paper and especially carbon paper.

·         Smart Kiosk in criminal courts to receive court information.

Bottom line she wants her department to become totally paperless.

22.  Customer Service: Strives to provide great customer service to citizens.

33.  Operational Efficiency: all of the new electronic systems will provide greater efficiency to the office.

44.  Financial accountability: going paperless will lower the cost. The commissioners were glad to see that there will be an end to this department use of carbon paper. This will save money. They also closed a warehouse with the saving of 1.2 million however they are in the process of opening a Records and Digitization Center in Cicero, which should improve the system at a cost savings. Clerk Brown stated that her department is going Lean and Green.

The Commissioners commented that they are pleased with the changes to this department. Clerk Brown requested that the Commissioners promote the use of electronic traffic ticket system in their districts. There is a saving to municipalities that use the Electronic E-Ticket system. There were no large increases to her budget for 2015.

Submitted by Nancy Marcus