District Court looking to zoom into video conferencing

HARTINGTON — From online concerts to Zoom meetings and even holidays spent via FaceTime, the COVID-19 pandemic forced more events to go virtual than ever before.

Video conferencing is becoming more of a necessity at the Cedar County District Court, too.

“The judge has said this is probably going to be the trend. I don’t think it’s going to go backward,” said Court Clerk Janet Wiechelman.

Because of the pandemic, the Supreme Court opened up the rules to allow civil cases to be conducted through audio and video. And now, the higher court is pushing to have accessibility for video conferencing, she told the Cedar County commissioners at their meeting last week. “There were some counties that were doing it,”

“There were some counties that were doing it,” Wiechelman said. “Once COVID hit, they were not transporting prisoners and a lot of counties were stuck with the issue.”

More video conferencing began as a way to continue a defendant’s right to a speedy trial without appearing in person.

“If a prisoner is being held down in Lincoln ... a lot of them are doing the arraignments, pre-trials and everything with the person staying in Lincoln and not having to transport them up,” she said.

Cedar County Court has a video conferencing system that the district court has used occasionally - once for a criminal sentencing hearing in which an interpreter was not able to be at the courthouse. The issue has come up again for an upcoming civil trial in which a witness is unable to travel to Hartington.

Although this arrangement has worked on these occasions, using another court’s system is not ideal.

Wiechelman estimated up to four cameras are needed - one at the judge’s bench, one for each of the council tables and one for the witness box. An audio system and an upgrade to the projection screen may also be needed.

Wiechelman said it’s not in the court’s budget to do the video conferencing upgrade, but the county commissioners agreed to go forward with obtaining comparable bids.

At the meeting, Wiechelman also updated the commissioners on the continuing education requirements for her position.

The commissioners also:

- Approved the removal of a stop sign at a closed bridge south of Laurel.

- Discussed damage to bridge markers at a bridge on northeast edge of Laurel - two completely broken off and two bent. The damage was possibly done by equipment too wide to cross the 28-foot-wide bridge.

- Approved building permits presented by Zoning Administrator Tim Gobel including: Ryan Marsh for 80 x 130 cow barn, Pick Farms for 60 x 120 machine shed and James Dinan for garage 28 x 30 and an addition for 28 x 18.

- Approved conditional use permits for Vernon Arens for a 6.45-acre tract and Marsha Gubbels for a 5.75-acre tract.

- Discussed county right of way issues with Gobel.

- Approved a resolution to stand in opposition of the 30x30 federal land preservation goal.

- Approved contracts for marking corners as part of three different highway projects.

- Met with a representative from Road Builders to talk about demo-ing some machinery.

- Discussed a road between Cedar and Dixon counties that Dixon County is thinking about closing. Roads Superintendent Carla Schmidt stated she is not aware of this project.

- Approved and set county levies.

- Entered into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. No action was taken.

- Reviewed a staff sick and vacation report distributed by Schmidt.

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