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Left to right: Diane Delaplane, BPW First Vice President; Julie Monnin, Incumbent Municipal Judge
(D) Candidate; Jane Carroll, BPW President; Jesse Green, (R) Candidate for Municipal Judge
 
  Monnin, Green debate at BPW meeting

Incumbent Julie Monnin and challenger Jesse Green spar over their approaches to the elected position of Muncipal Court judge
By Elaine Bailey
Senior Scribe

In a recent meeting at the Brick Room of the Brethren Retirement Community, the first of the year for the Greenville Business Professional Women’s Club, Julie Monnin, sitting Muncipal Court Judge, debated her challenger, Jesse Green. The candidates were introduced by BPW President Jane Carroll.

The three prominently differing opinions between the two candidates were courtroom security, the presence of a municipal court probation department, and the manner in which fines and court costs are collected.

During her tenure, Monnin increased courtroom security, created a second probation department, and contracted a collection agency. Current security measures include locked doors, security scanner and/or wand, and the search of bags and purses.  

Green said he is running for Municipal Court Judge because he believes that people should be treated with dignity, courtesy, and respect.  If elected, Green would create a “user friendly court.” He said he does not dismiss the need for security.  However, he believes that a judge is responsible for serving the people and can do so while utilizing fewer security measures.  He also pointed out that there are no locks or metal detectors for the Common Pleas Court, where more serious offenses are heard.

Monnin said she supports the security procedures which were implemented over four years and based on the physical security analysis report released by the Supreme Court of Ohio, Office of Court Security in June of 2005. The report is available here.

Monnin illustrated the need for increased security when she showed the audience a butterfly knife that was confiscated.  She also reminded the audience of the attack made on Judge McClure in 2007 and of a woman who brought a knife with a twelve-inch blade into the courthouse.

Monnin pointed out that the courtroom is located on the fourth floor of the courthouse. Visitors have full access to the courtroom and its offices.  Between 6500 and 7000 cases, representing various degrees of offenses, are heard annually.  Approximately 1200 are criminal, 2200 traffic, and the remaining are small claims or civil cases.  This composite creates a mixed audience during scheduled hearings.

The security measures, 100 percent of those recommended by the Supreme Court of Ohio, attempts to provide a more secure setting for everyone.

“It would be a shame to take those measures out,” Monnin said.

The second issue, the need for a probation department in the municipal court, was defended by Monnin.  She emphasized that special project fund money - not the general fund - is used to support the program.

She said that in order to meet expected mandates and unable to accomplish it internally, the probation department was created to increase the accountability of the defendants in following through on court orders.

The Municipal Probation Department covers approximately 2000 cases.  The department allows closer monitoring of the defendants, monitors those on house arrest, and allows for creative alternatives to jail time, as the daily cost for jail time is $58.

Green said he feels that a probation department for the municipal court is not necessary.  He challenged that the Adult Probation Department was not “overworked” as Monnin suggested. He knew for a fact that Gene Whittington, Adult Community Service Coordinator of the Adult Probation Department, nearly lost his job with the start of the second probation department because the lion’s share of people going into Community Service shifted.  He also pointed out that Monnin’s brother-in-law serves in the position.

Monnin clarified that community service is different from probation.  Community service was restructured to provide defendants opportunities to be responsible and acquire skills while working at a “job.”  Defendants choose from a list of 25 work options and work to the satisfaction of the supervisor. She added that her brother-in-law was hired after a former employee holding the position retired.

“He [brother-in-law] does an excellent job.  He has great work ethic, and he is a wonderful man… I would hire him again,” she said.

In an effort to increase the defendant’s accountability for court fines and fees and to recover monies that are owed to the taxpayers, Monnin contracts with Capital Recovery from Franklin County, Ohio for collections.  Collections are made in this order: fines, court costs, and then collection fees. This method passes the expense of collecting monies on to the defendants.  

Green said he believes that with current economic conditions, three weeks may not be enough time for defendants to pay fines and court costs.  He points out that there are other options to turning defendants over to collection agencies, and that is to give then the opportunity to return to court to explain why the fines are not being paid.

The Municipal Court Judge became an elected position six years ago. Monnin gave introductory remarks first, followed by Jesse Green, before the audience asked questions.

In her opening remarks, Judge Julie Monnin expressed pride in going above and beyond while conducting the business of an effective judge.  One particular endeavor was when she spent 24 hours as a practice inmate in a new jail.

She said this “on the job training” helped her understand how a jail works and operates.  It moved her to be selective when determining jail sentences and to be more creative with alternative punishments, particularly for first time offenders.

In his opening remarks, Jesse Green shared his values and background.  He is proud of his achievements, the outcome of a strong work ethic, and gives credit to his parents George and Kay Green; his wife Tammy; and Dan Wright, his employer at the Union City IGA when Green was a teen.  His belief in working hard and treating others with dignity, courtesy, and respect come from family, military, and work experiences. 

The candidates will meet again at 7:00 on Monday, October 24 at the American Legion under the sponsorship of the League of Women Voters of Darke County.

In other business, Susan Fowble presented Jane Carroll with a letter from Keith Faber and a commendation from Tom Niehaus, President of the Ohio Senate. The citation was for receiving the 2011 Woman of the Year by the Greenville Business and Professional Women’s Club.

Download Monnin introductioin here
Downlaod Green introduction here
View Senate proclamation here
View letter from Sen. Keith Faber here

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Carroll
 

 
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