Shelby Township, Utica Approve 41-A Cost Sharing Agreement

Shelby Township and Utica have signed a cost sharing agreement for a new 41-A District Court in Macomb Township

The agreement, which was approved by Utica City Council and the Shelby Township Board of Trustees, will now be reviewed by the Macomb Township Board of Trustees who will decide on moving forward with the project.

"If Shelby Township built a new court, the general fund would have to subsidize it," said Supervisor Rick Stathakis, who said Shelby could lose $500,000 a year if a new court was built in the community.

By having Macomb Township build and host the court, Shelby could cap its legacy costs and gain $250,000 a year in annual revenue that could be used to offset legacy costs, Stathakis added.  

The board in Macomb will now examine the  feasibility of moving the court from the current location in Shelby Township to Macomb Township. According to the agreement approved 3-2 by the Shelby Township board, Macomb Township has until Sept. 5 to decide to build a court in the community.

The approved agreement also outlines the distribution of fines and costs, as well as a mandate the court remain in Macomb Township until all bonds used to underwrite the costs of the court within Macomb Township are repaid, according to township documents.

According to a report by Shelby TV, the city of Utica earlier this month approved the agreement which stated the city will not take traffic cases from District 41-A Court if it moves to Macomb Township.