The village of Mamaroneck court has received an $18,000 grant to improve the security and safety of the courtroom located at 169 Mount Pleasant Ave. Other than serving its purpose for judicial reasons, the courtroom is also home to municipal board and committee meetings. The grant, from the Office of Court Administration of New York state, would offset the cost of a list of improvements suggested by village Judge Dan Gallagher.
An amount of $27,900 was originally requested in October 2015, along with a document outlining the scope of the work to be done within the courtroom. Included in that document were plans to disconnect the existing courtroom bench from all power and remove and recycle it, along with plans to construct a new platform with new carpeting and place it on top of the existing platform. Additionally, a new bench was requested.
Currently, the list of improvements includes the new courtroom bench, a dais platform and new dais carpeting. According to Village Manager Richard Slingerland, the village board wants to make sure that the new layout maintains the ten seats on the current outdated dais. Assistant Village Manager Daniel Sarnoff told the Review that the courtroom bench alone will cost $22,000. “The main other reason [for the improvements] is just to make sure that there’s no tripping hazard,” Slingerland said.
Mayor Norman Rosenblum, a Republican, told the Review that he thinks the final design will be left up to the judges and the village manager and assistant village manager.
“They should look for more electronic improvements as much as for [improvements to the] furniture,” he said. “As long as it’s functional and it works.”
Slingerland said the village is aiming to make the courtroom safer for people approaching the board, be it the Board of Trustees, Planning Board or attorneys approaching the court. The village manager added that the village wants to decide on a final design plan before finding a construction firm to carry out the work.
Paul Noto, an attorney who has appeared in the village of Mamaroneck courtroom numerous times, thinks the redesign is a great idea.
“It’s definitely due for an upgrade,” said Noto, who also previously served as village mayor, adding that it’s not just attorneys who use that room, but various land use boards and commissions. “It’ll make it more comfortable and functional [for users of the room].”
