AURORA | Turning Aurora into its own city and county could also force it into its own judicial district, Judge Richard Weinberg told members of an Aurora City Council committee meeting on May 9.
In the first of many meetings to come on the issue, Weinberg shared with the Public Safety Committee his research on the court systems of the cities and counties of Denver and Broomfield and what a possible Aurora system could look like.
The idea of turning Aurora into its own city and county isn’t new, but it started gaining momentum in 2010 at the insistence of former Councilman Bob FitzGerald. Council members are expected to develop a timeline at a May 17 special study session that will guide them through the research process.
Weinberg said Aurora could choose to form its own judicial district and combine county and municipal courts like Denver’s model, or join an existing district where the state would provide the county court and district court facilities, like Broomfield’s model.
If Aurora were to choose a system similar to Broomfield’s, it would likely join the 18th Judicial District, which covers Arapahoe County, Weinberg said.
“The final structure would depend on political questions and what type of control council would have and how much money it wants to spend,” he said.
Court Administrator Zelda DeBoyes said the city’s current detention center would be replaced with a full-fledged jail if the city joined the 18th Judicial District.
“We have to decide whether we feel like we’re going to be large enough, which I imagine we will be, to operate a stand-alone jail,” she said.
If the city created its own judicial district, Weinberg said there are several questions city officials would have to consider, like what the costs would be to maintain a combined clerk’s office, a county and municipal court probate system, a district attorney’s office and a combined county and municipal court staff.
Councilman Bob Roth said that under any scenario, it would behoove the city to take charge of its own court systems.
“My gut feeling is that I would prefer to keep as much local control as possible,” he said.
Council members haven’t officially decided whether a city and county would be the best step for Aurora right now, but city officials say the undertaking would require political will and cost-benefit research.
“The part about the courts is one small part of a whole host of structural issues,” said City Manager George “Skip” Noe.
The Colorado Legislature would have to pass a referendum, which requires a two-thirds majority, that would allow voters to decide whether Aurora should be its own city and county, Noe said.
Broomfield officials conducted a financial analysis in 1995 and 1998 before deciding to seriously pursue a city and county designation, and they had lengthy discussions with Colorado lawmakers about the issue.
“We’ll have to undertake a similar effort,” Noe said.
Reach reporter Sara Castellanos at 720-449-9036 or sara@aurorasentinel.com.
So many issues to deal with, so many dollars need to be spent . . i certainly hope it doesnt happen. We’ve already voted twice on the city and county issue. Does city council think voters will be so weary of voting they will vote affirmatively?