Better Late Than Never to Municipal Court Week?

Let’s get this out of the way first: This story is a failure when it comes to timeliness.

This old news is publishing a week-plus after a Highland Park Town Council meeting, where Mayor Margo Goodwin proclaimed the previous week “Municipal Court Week.”

Let’s put this another way. Publication date: Nov. 17. Proclamation date: Nov. 9. Municipal Court Week dates: Nov. 1-5.

Goodwin’s got a better excuse for her tardiness than I do: The council had to postpone its Nov. 2 meeting for lack of a quorum.

Proclaiming after the fact was better than not at all, the mayor decided.

So, what’s the big deal?

Judge Albert D. Hammack explained that 60% of the people who have contact with the town of Highland Park do so through the municipal court. He and court staff aim to make those experiences as pleasant as possible, even for folks facing fines.

“That’s kind of the court we need to have,” he said. “One that’s safe and ultimately fair.”

So how do you think the court is doing? Let us know with a Letter to the Editor.

“You are not cruel about it,” Goodwin told the municipal court team. “You represent us well.”

In other action on Nov. 9, the council authorized the purchase of replacement equipment for the Highland Park Department of Public Safety:

• Three Chevy Tahoe police patrol cruisers “which shall be blue,” Goodwin quipped — $176,472.40
• Three Chevy Tahoe criminal investigation vehicles (unmarked cars) — $128,022.42
• One 2022 Frazer built ambulance and associated equipment — $347,009.00
• Two Zoll Z Series monitor/defibrillators — $85,450.73