City resumes efforts to replace municipal court

The City of Sundance is still lacking a means to enforce ordinances nearly two years after getting rid of its municipal court, a decision made at the same time that the council opted to replace its police department with a contract with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office.

While the city considers the latter to have been a great success – with the council praising the work of the Sheriff’s Office at almost every monthly meeting – a petition to the Wyoming Supreme Court to allow Circuit Court to handle ordinance cases has so far gone unanswered.

The drive for both of these decisions was financial, with the contract for law enforcement expected to save around $75,000 per year and the removal of municipal court predicted to save $12,500.

Sheriff’s Office deputies have enforced state statutes since that time. To continue enforcing city ordinances, the council gave Public Works Director Mac Erickson the authority to be the city’s ordinance office, with support from deputies if needed.

After confirming that then-Circuit Court Judge Matthew Castano was willing to take on the city’s ordinance caseload, City Attorney Mark Hughes petitioned the Wyoming Supreme Court for permission to make the change.

It seems, however, that a “series of events” delayed a response, said Sheriff Jeff Hodge. Said events likely included the disruptions caused by the pandemic and the appointment of Judge Castano to District Court.

But while the lack of a municipal court does pose a problem, Hodge pointed out at last week’s council meeting that the city police were only issuing between four and six citations per year on city ordinances. Most ordinance-based issues such as nuisance complaints, he said, are handled by sending a letter.

However, said Mayor Paul Brooks, “We do have a few things going on ordinance-wise,” such as an issue with dogs at large.

Hughes stated that he will speak with Judge Castano and also Judge Lynda R. Bush, who was appointed as Sixth Judicial District Circuit Court Judge earlier this year, in an effort to further the appeal.