MIDDLETOWN – The State Office of Court Administration and Middletown remain deadlocked for some eight years over which one is going to pay to expand the unused court facilities in the city.
Middletown purchased a vacant federal court building years ago and wants to move the city court into it, but the state wants the city to construct a second courtroom.
The Middletown City Court is now a regional court for arraignments and is using the common council chambers as a second courtroom.
Mayor Joseph DeStefano said he will not spend local taxpayer dollars to bring a regional court up to state standards.
“I am not going to ask the Middletown taxpayers to put up $5 ½ to $6 million to build a court facility for the State of New York that is used by most communities in Orange County at least on a regular basis from what I see. I know they are not here just having coffee. I see prisoners being brought it,” he said.
An alternative to expanding the former federal courthouse would be to provide permanent separate security to continue using the common council chambers during the day.
The Newburgh City Court facilities are also used for regional arrest arraignments.
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