Marshall County Council supports $417K for court technology upgrades

The Marshall County Council has unanimously approved a motion to support a major technology overhaul for all four of the county's courts, greenlighting up to $417,000 for new audio and video recording systems.

Earlier this month, Superior Court II Judge Aldridge presented the need for the updates to the Council. This followed a previous appearance by Judge Aldridge and Judge Sarber before the County Commissioners to request initial support for the project.

To find the right fit for the county's needs, the judges solicited proposals from four different companies. After conducting vendor interviews and hosting site visits to give the companies a firsthand look at the courtrooms, the judges selected CTI to complete the upgrades.

The base cost for the CTI project is $358,830. This price tag covers the installation of new hardware—including microphones, televisions, cameras, and audio recording equipment—as well as necessary software. The initial cost includes a one-year warranty, and the county is also purchasing an additional four years of maintenance for $59,726.69, bringing the total project cost to $416,556.65.

CTI requires a 60% down payment to initiate the order, with the remaining 40% due upon completion of the installation.

To finance the project, the County Commissioners discussed utilizing the county's Special Local Income Tax (LIT) funds. However, local taxpayers may not ultimately foot the entire bill. Judge Aldridge explained to the council that the Office of Indiana Court Services offers two reimbursement opportunities: the Court Reform Technology Grant and the state's Rural County Technology Initiative.

The judges requested to move forward with the upgrades immediately, using county funds, with the intention of applying for the grant reimbursements once the vendor has been paid.

Backed by prior approval from the County Commissioners, the County Council unanimously passed a motion of support to fund the technology upgrade and maintenance contract for up to $417,000 from the Special LIT Fund.