I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to share an important update regarding the Hyde Park / North Logan Justice Court's closure. Over the past three years, I've been focused on reducing expenses while trying to alleviate the taxpayer burden. Through careful budget analysis, it became clear that the judicial court was a significant area for improvement. While I believe in the transformative role of our judicial system, it's crucial that we ensure it does not become an ever-growing financial strain.
Over the past three years, Hyde Park City has faced a significant financial challenge. Despite covering one-third of the court expenses, we have incurred losses exceeding $50,000 annually. Our residents represent only 11.5% of the cases the court handles, while North Logan accounts for 20.4%. This disparity highlights that our community effectively subsidizes court expenses for individuals who do not reside here—68.1% of cases involve non-residents. We must address this issue to ensure fair allocation of costs moving forward.
Staffing the court clerk position has been problematic. We recently had our court clerk leave employment due to family situations. We’ve had to temporarily reassign personnel from billing, but this isn’t sustainable long-term. Additionally, as Hyde Park grows, we recognize the pressing need for a city planner to ensure compliance with development plans and align with our vision. While immediate hiring isn't guaranteed, we're exploring options that will enhance community investment and efficiency.
The effectivity of the closure is 01 April 2025, I’m working closely with mayor Peterson in North Logan, the AOC, and the county to transition this workload to the District Court. That is where all tickets, fines, and court cases will be processed beginning 01 April 2025. Know that we’re working on it and will follow through with the action. I do want to thank Senator Wilson and Representative Petersen for sponsoring the bill and working on our behalf.
Respectfully,
Bryan Cox, Mayor
Bryan.c@hpcutah.gov
