Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
Bronson Attorney Steven Warm was instructed Monday by the town council to research a request by the chief judge of the 8th judicial circuit whether closing Capital Street behind the Levy County Courthouse requires a public hearing.
Chief Judge Mark Mosley wants to close about 100 yards of Capital Street to provide a secure area for judges, judicial officers, and other court officials to enter and exit the courthouse. He said those officials are vulnerable by virtue of their positions and the work they perform.
Capital Street behind the courthouse is currently a one-way street that passes by the courthouse and a securely fenced cubicle used by the sheriffs’ office to load and unload prisoners going to court.
Closing the street to the public would probably involve the county installing card-controlled gates or other access control devices to ensure the safety of court officials on that portion of Capital Street.
At the request of Councilman Aaron Edmondson, the council also voted 5-0 to have Warm write a letter to Court Administrator Paul Silverman ensuring the town’s water department and fire department have access to the back of the courthouse for fires or utility work after the street is closed.
In his letter to the town, Mosely said it is his responsibility to ensure areas in and around the courthouse are safe and secure. He said if there is any correspondence from the town regarding his request to close the street, the communications should go to Silverman.
The council indicated it had no objections to Mosely’s request but wanted Warm to take care of the two housekeeping chores related to the town’s responsibilities in closing the street before it would honor his request.
Typically, street closings are handled by the council in a public hearing.
In this case, Warm felt the town council could just close the street without a hearing, but he said a reporter’s question about the potential need for a public hearing was a good one and he would do the research.
Capital Street behind the courthouse is currently used as a shortcut to reach School Street, which passes by the new Levy County Government Center, but residents can take a longer route around the government center to reach parking on the other side of the facility. It just takes a couple of minutes longer.
The portion of Capital Street that is to be closed is entirely surrounded by government buildings, but the public’s right of access to the city street, which was built with taxpayer dollars, would be impacted and therefore a public hearing may be necessary to close it. Or not. Warm will find out.
—————————-
Town of Bronson Regular Meeting November 15, 2021; Posted November 19, 2021
