HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-12-2015 Gallatin County Bar Association Letter of Support for L&J GALLATIN COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
June 8, 2015
Bozeman City Commissioners: Mayor Jeff Kraus, Mayor-Elect Carson Taylor, Chris Mehl,
Cynthia Andrus, I-Ho Pomeroy
City Clerk's Office
PO Box 1230
Bozeman MT 59771-1230
Gallatin County Commissioners: Steve White,Joe Skinner, Don Seifert
311 West Main Street, Room 306
Bozeman, MT 59715
Re: Gallatin County Bar Association Support for Joint City/County Development of Law and
Justice Site
Commissioners:
The purpose of this letter is to express the Gallatin County Bar Association's support for the City
of Bozeman and Gallatin County to work jointly for the development of the Law and Justice Center site.
Our members, as strong advocates for the rule of law, understand that adequate facilities are essential
for the proper and efficient administration of justice. The Gallatin County Bar Association's Board of
Directors agrees with the District Court,Justice Courts, City Court and law enforcement agencies that
the existing facility is no longer adequate to meet the needs of the city and the county.
The Bar Association's primary concerns for the existing facility are:
1. Numerous structural vulnerabilities of the existing building;
2. Lack of adequate security in the building;
3. Lack of required space for existing services; and
4. Lack of space to accommodate future growth of city and county departments utilizing the
building.
The Gallatin County Bar Association,through this letter, would like to communicate to the
Commissioners its full support for the joint city-county development of new law enforcement, courts
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and related services buildings in accordance with the 2010 master plan adopted by the Gallatin County
Commissioners on August 13, 2011. The co-location of city and county law enforcement and judicial is
functions over the past years has provided citizens with effective and efficient services.The Bar
Association believes the joint development of the existing site for new city and county law enforcement
and judicial facilities will provide city and county residents with a cost-effective solution to the problems '
listed above.
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The Bar Association would be happy to make itself available as a resource to assist both the City
and County Commissions with this project. Thank you for your attention to this matter and your service
to the community.
Should there be any questions or should the Gallatin County Bar Association be able to provide
any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me at 406-587-5511; Moore, O'Connell & Refling, PC,
PO Box 1288, Bozeman, MT 59771; or jenireece@qwestoffice.net.
Sincerely,
Je` fer 5. Reece, President
Gallatin County Bar Association
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