Pine County Court Administrator Lu Ann Blegen and Isanti County Court Administrator Tracy Gullerud meet with Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Kurt Daudt during the MACM Day at the Capitol event on March 24, 2016.

(Story on Page 2)

MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION FOR COURT MANAGEMENT

Spring 2016

REFLECTIONS

MACM Reflections

Editors:

Vicky Carlson, Scott County Court Administrator

Annette Fritz, Washington County Court Administrator

Dave Goeddertz, Accounting Manager, Ninth District Administration

Jamie Majerus, Internal Audit Manager, SCAO

Beth Paris, Business Process Specialist, Ramsey County

Publisher:

Jan Krupicka, Court Operations Supervisor, Anoka County Criminal Court

Editor in Chief:

Aaron Williamson, Project Manager, Hennepin County Criminal Court

Any MACM member may submit an article for the newsletter. If interested, please contact Aaron

at Aaron.Williamson@courts.state.mn.us for more information.

MACM Day At The Capitol In This Issue:

● MACM Day At The

Capitol

● Committee Updates

● 3 Words & Ten Traits

Of A Valuable

Employee

● The Value of Mentor-

ship in the Workplace

● New MACM Member:

In The Spotlight

● District Updates

MACM members representing a number of counties and judicial districts around Minneso-

ta came to St. Paul on March 24, 2016 for the annual MACM Day at the Capitol event.

MACM Members attended Senate and House of Representatives Judiciary Committee

hearings as well as the full Senate floor session in their temporary chambers in the new

Minnesota Senate Building while the State Capitol is under renovation. Some MACM

members were joined by a District Court Judge who is a former State Senator on a tour of

the new Minnesota Senate Building.

MACM members also met with State Senators and Representatives from their area as

well as committee and legislative leadership to share with them their day-to-day work in

the courts and how the court’s e-technology initiatives are aiding in providing court ser-

vices to the public more quickly and efficiently. MACM members also talked with legisla-

tors about the State Court’s Safe and Secure Courthouse Initiative and Juror Per Diem

and Mileage Rate Reimbursement Supplemental Budget Request, and how these pro-

posals would benefit their constituents who visit

their local courthouse or are called for jury duty.

In addition to learning more about the legislative

process, MACM members were impressed with

the engagement and approachability of legisla-

tors. Many of the connections that MACM mem-

bers make with legislators at the Capitol result in

Senators and Representatives visiting courthous-

es after the Legislature adjourns, where they per-

sonally see the work that the courts do every day

to serve their constituents. MACM Members

who attended the event this year said it was a

very positive experience and encourage addition-

al members to attend next year.

MACM Day At The Capital

by John Hultquist, Drug Court Coordinator, Hennepin County

(Continued From Page 1)

Page 2 REFLECTIONS

Time flies when you are having fun and when working on a MACM Committee! I am having trouble comprehending that Spring is in the air. It seems like just yesterday we were at the 2015 MACM conference! As I look back, I am proud of all that we have accomplished during the 2015-2016 season. We had a successful volunteer opportunity campaign that was paired with the 2015 annual Conference. We also participated in the submission of legislative pro-posals to Judicial Council in the fall of 2015. In March of this year, the Legislative & Outreach Committee organized and hosted the “Day at the Capitol” event, wherein MACM members could set up meetings with the legislators in their Districts and also viewed legislative hear-ings. This was a great opportunity to meet with legislators regarding issues that directly affect the Judicial Branch and gave us a chance to acquaint legislators with the members of a fellow branch of government. There were several interesting public hearings taking place that day, allowing for an excellent chance to view the legislative process at work. I would like to thank those that participated in making this day a success not only for MACM but for the individuals that participated as well. (Continued on Page 4)

Page 3 REFLECTIONS

Legislative & Outreach Committee Update

By: Wendy VanDuyne, Committee Chair

President’s Message

By: Annette Fritz, MACM President

How resilient is MACM? How do we adapt and respond in our complex organization with the changes that are happening in time to be effective? MACM had a goal several years ago to grow our membership. We accomplished that goal. We now have 300-plus mem-bers. The Board of Directors has considered how we sustain our ability to serve our membership such as adequate conference space and facilities. For the 2016 fall confer-ence we are switching from a hotel setting to a convention center. This means we will stay in more than one hotel and navigate a short distance (about one mile) to the con-vention center for education and events. We hope everyone will help us with this new conference arrangement. I look forward to seeing everyone in Bemidji, the first city on

the Mississippi, “True North” in September. Annette.

Additionally, the Legislative & Outreach Committee encouraged District-wide participation in

Law Day 2016, by providing suggestions to inspire fun and thoughtful events celebrating the day.

Established in 1957 by the American Bar Association (ABA), Law Day is a national day set aside to

celebrate our legal system. Law Day programs are conducted across the country for both youth and

adults and are designed to help people understand how law keeps us free and how our legal system

strives to achieve justice. This year’s theme, “Miranda: More Than Words,” serves as a reminder of

all the ways that we strive to provide equal access to justice. Some examples of this mission are the

Self-Help Centers for self-represented litigants and more electronic access to the court under the

eCourtMN initiative. The Miranda warning has come to symbolize the concept of providing equal ac-

cess under the law and has served as an inspiration and reminder that rights such as due process

and the right to trial by a jury of one’s peers are part of the fabric of the American legal system and

are principles that the Minnesota Judicial Branch is driven to uphold. Our next newsletter will high-

light some of the Law Day events that were held around the state this year.

The Legislative & Outreach Committee will be spending hours

researching various charity organizations for sponsorship at this year’s

annual conference. A special thanks goes out to Julie Welt (3rd) and Ann

Basta (4th), who have volunteered to spearhead our efforts in selecting a

volunteer opportunity this year. Last year, we were able to sponsor Bridg-

es of Hope for our 2015 giving campaign, raising $2,085.00 for this non-

profit organization dedicated to assisting Lake Area families. That means MACM helped provide re-

sources to families in need regarding alcoholism, child care, counseling, disabilities, domestic vio-

lence, employment, parenting, grief, marriage, and even transportation. They also have provided

much needed relief to victims of the summer storms in the Brainerd area. This is a worthy and rele-

vant cause that we are proud to have sponsored and we are looking forward to continuing the tradi-

tion of sponsorship in our campaign for fall of 2016.

As we continue through this year, I look forward to the opportunity to continue to work with

the dedicated members of the Legislative & Outreach Committee, the members of the other Commit-

tees of MACM and all the MACM members themselves. I have enjoyed meeting the dedicated mem-

bers of MACM and all my experiences as a member of the Legislative & Outreach Committee. I am

grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to work on so many worthy projects and with so many

enthusiastic court professionals.

If you would like to join the Committee or have any questions, concerns or ideas for the Com-

mittee’s consideration, please contact me at: wendy.vanduyne@courts.state.mn.us.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Legislative & Outreach Committee Update (Continued from Page 3)

Page 4 REFLECTIONS

The Education Committee is busy planning for our Fall conference which will be held at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, September 28-30, 2016. We have heard many of your comments about incorporating healthier menu options and wellness themes into our conference. We are actively pursuing some options for doing so and look forward to providing you with an ex-cellent conference experience!

We are also actively seeking topics and presenters that will provide our members with the enrichment, knowledge and development that MACM seeks to provide. As part of this pro-cess, we look at current and future happenings in the Branch and defer to the survey results from the previous year’s conference. Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond to last year’s survey.

As a reminder, the Education Committee previously decided to rotate conference locations throughout the state. Our future conferences will be held in the following locations:

Page 5 REFLECTIONS

Education Committee Update

By: Monica Tschumper

Membership Services Committee Update

By: Aaron Williamson

Please join me in welcoming the following new

members since our last newsletter:

December

Katie Bloch, Court Operations Supervisor, Mille Lacs County

January

Hilary Huntley, Training and Development Facilitator, 6th District Lori Thompson, Court Administrator, White Earth Tribal Court

New MACM Members: Continued from Page 5

Membership Services Committee Update: Continued From Page 5

2016 MACM Conference:

Our committee is busy planning the networking aspects of our upcoming conference (also known as the “FUN STUFF”). We are discussing possible event options and starting to plan the vendor show, which will likely take place on Wednesday after the conference. As always, we’re hoping to have some new and ex-citing features and events at this conference!

In particular, we are planning a Wellness themed conference. Some new features will include healthier food, and activities to get you moving, like walking breaks and group fitness opportunities. Feel free to contact your local Board of Directors Member, anyone from the Membership Services Committee, or me with your ideas.

MACM Scholarship

The next scholarship application deadline is coming up on May 31st. The purpose of the MACM scholar-

ship is to support educational endeavors for our members, in order to further support the judicial admin-istration profession.

A scholarship can be awarded up to $1,000. The scholarship amount awarded is based on available funds and how many scholarship applications are received. You can find the scholarship application and instruc-tions on the MACM Homepage.

MACM Awards

Later this summer we will ask for nominations for the 2016 MACM Service Awards. Start thinking about who you would like to nominate! The award categories are:

Distinguished Service

Lifetime Achievement

Coach/Mentor of the Year

Champion of Change

Early Career Excellence

Page 6 REFLECTIONS

March

Holly Bohlken, Court Operations Supervisor, Dakota County Stacy Carlson, Administrative Services Manager, Hennepin County

April Kelly Jaeger, Court Operations Supervisor, Criminal – Downtown: PSF, Hennepin County Sonja Kruger, Court Administrator, Cottonwood & Murray Counties Scott Miller, Court Operations Supervisor, Criminal – Downtown: C-11, Hennepin County Kathryn Ouren, Court Administrator, Otter Tail & Wadena Counties Joanne Reinert, Court Operations Supervisor, Renville, Yellow Medicine, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle Counties

May Scott DeBuhr, IT Supervisor, Tenth Judicial District Administration Kristen Harper, Court Operations Supervisor, Stearns County Karen Timmers, Court Operations Supervisor, Crow Wing County

Mike Kelly and Sarah Lindahl-Pfieffer

(Continued from Page 6)

I like three word combinations! “I love you,” obviously, who doesn’t? Others that are right up there . . . “Meet my friend” . . . “What the heck?” [okay, I’ll admit a bit censored] and my new favorite . . . “Rule of ninety!” I like this last three word combination so much it deserves a big old smiley face, which I normally would not do, but . . . “what the heck” . . . I’m practically out the door!

April 5th, I logged into a GovLoop training “Ten Traits of a Valuable Employee.” I’ve been multitask-ing to GovLoop one hour offerings for some time. Jack Bienko, Acting Director for Entrepreneurship & Education at the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Kristin Austin, Department of Homeland Security, were live, presenting their insight. This, following an email from Aaron Williamson, Chair, MACM Membership Services Committee, literally minutes before soliciting for articles for the MACM Reflections Newsletter gave me pause. “Geez,” I said to myself . . . “What the heck! How’s a girl to resist penning a final word?”

Bienko took the first five traits:

Be a Team Player: Understand the needs of the team. Figure out how to interact with others.

Have a Winning Attitude: Bring a deep energy to your organization.

Be Adventurous: Think creatively and be willing to look at things in a new way.

Have a Passion: Be vested in the work you do. Be Self-Motivated: Talented individuals contribute energy, enthusiasm, extra hours.

Austin finished with:

Be Self-Aware: Know your own strengths and grow in the areas you need to develop. Be Self-Disciplined: Deliver on your commitments. Confront difficult situations head-on. Keep Learning: Seek knowledge and experience. Advocate for yourself. Have Integrity: Treat people with respect. Assume the best of people. Expand Your Network: Get to know all types of different people. Be generous with your

time.

I like the list of traits. The presentation provided good pictures too! Be self-aware lured me in with an image of a golden retriever looking at himself in a mirror. “Be self-disciplined” showed the same dog balancing a chunky muffin on his snout like a Wallenda. I can get behind words like adventurous, pas-sionate and creative. Bring these things to work every day and before you know it, thirty years will have snuck-up on you like a killer in a teenage horror flick. In the end the GovLoop offering allowed me to reflect on my own service to the branch. Did I bring a true and honest passion to my work? Guess what . . . three words . . . “Job well done!” Oh, I should have mentioned one other thing . . . Don’t be afraid to “Toot! Toot! Toot!” thy own horn, especially if the bus you’ve been riding is heading for new adventures soon! Lastly might I add, “I’ll miss you!”

To log onto GovLoop https://www.govloop.com/

Page 7 REFLECTIONS

Three Words By: Sue Halpern, Washington County Court Operations Supervisor

We’ll Miss You!

Sue:

2015-16 Merging Minds Mentorship Program Carrie Keller, Court Administrative Assistant – First District

Krista Sandhoefner, Court Operations Supervisor - Fourth District

The Merging Minds Mentorship Program is a SCAO-sponsored program providing a continuous learning

environment to expand and personalize development that participants begin through a structured educa-

tional and development program. Mentees are matched with experienced MJB leaders to help identify

and work on personal and professional goals. The program promotes collegiality and appreciation for

those working across organizational lines, and provides mentees and mentors with a stronger sense of

how they can expand their strengths and provide value to the organization.

Individuals who have engaged in focused development and are recommended and approved by manage-

ment are invited to apply to the program. The eight month program runs each year, kicking off in Octo-

ber and wrapping up in June.

(Continued on Page 9)

The Value of Mentorship In the Workplace

By: Lisa Schoeder, Human Resource and Development Specialist, SCAO

Page 8 REFLECTIONS

The Value of Mentorship In The Workplace

(Continued from Page 8)

One of this year’s mentor/mentee pairs, Carrie Keller, Court Administrative Assistant– First District, and Krista Sandhoefner, Court Operations Supervisor - Fourth District, sat down with me to talk about their experience with the Merging Minds Program.

Q: Why were you interested in the mentorship program?

A: To learn from others within the court system, share courts knowledge and culture, expand professional networks, step outside of my comfort zone, and gain insight from those out-side of my respective county/district.

Q: How did you get involved?

A: Carrie and Krista were both sent notice of the program after they attended and gradu-ated from a cohort development program. Krista is an Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) gradu-ate and Carrie is a Development in Action (DiA) graduate.

Q: What is the greatest value you found within the program, both personally and professionally?

A: A deeper connection with an individual and cohort group outside of my respective district. It has expanded my professional network, and led to a great new friendship, personal and professional confidence, a sense of being part of something bigger, and a stronger connec-tion to the branch.

Q: Would you recommend the Merging Mind Program? Why or why not?

A: Yes, absolutely. You learn so much about yourself through others, specifically your partner whether you are the mentee, or the mentor, connecting with other court employees out-side of your district is incredibly beneficial for organizational perspective.

In summary, a workplace mentoring program benefits both the mentee and mentor as well as the employer, and can have long term advantages, such as:

Building an organizational network that fosters collaboration and sharing of information can lead to a stronger organization and less turnover;

The mentee may experience overall greater job satisfaction, organizational loyalty, personal and professional confidence, as well as stronger communication and problem solving skills; and,

The mentor has the ability to guide and provide advice which continues to build confidence, and al-lows for better understanding of employee issues, and workplace challenges.

Page 9 REFLECTIONS

Who are you?

Beth Paris [FKA: Beth Tisdell], I have worked for the Second Judicial Dis-

trict Court (Ramsey County), since 2006 – Ten years this past Febru-

ary.

Past positions:

My career with the Second Judicial District began in 2006 when I

was hired as a temporary employee in the Domestic Abuse & Har-

assment Office. Before my six-month assignment was over, I was

hired full-time as a senior court clerk. In 2009, I transitioned into a

position working for Tama Hall in the Juvenile and Family Division.

While working in Juvenile & Family administration, I had a number of

duties that ranged from accounting, facilities management, judicial

assignment and my favorite projects. I had the opportunity to take a

three day training to learn formal business analysis and process

mapping. I then was given the opportunity to work on the eFiling

pilot project. The project goal was to analyze the current paper filings processes and create electronic

workflows. The eFS Pilot project continued for over three years, which led to the team successfully imple-

menting eFiling and paperless workflows in the Second Judicial District.

Inhabitants at my residence and where I live:

I recently purchased a new home in St. Paul and am living with my boyfriend Justin. He and I reconnected

at our 20 year high school reunion. We have two rescue dogs. Ardi, is our [Pit Bull/Lab/Dalmatian/Chow-Chow]

who will turn seven years old in June. When we moved into our house, we began fostering Franklin, a

Staffordshire terrier, who had been bounced between numerous foster homes. I am 100% a foster fail-

ure, as we adopted him on St. Patrick’s Day, which was also his first birthday.

What I like best about working for the Judicial Branch:

I love the array of opportunities for growth as well as the educational programs offered. I take advantage

of all that have been offered to me. I really enjoy the CMP’s (Court Management Program) and am cur-

rently in Tier II, through the ICM (Institute for Court Management).

I remember when….

While using TCIS, I remember thinking to myself, WOW this is a really outdated system. A few months lat-

er I was asked to work on the TCIS to MNCIS conversion project as a subject matter expert for the domes-

tic abuse office. It’s been interesting to watch how the technology advances haven’t stopped since!

My Dream Job:

Retirement – with my dream of building an animal rescue specific to bully breeds.

Page 10 REFLECTIONS

MACM Member

Beth Paris

I am most passionate about:

I have a special place in my heart for dogs, especially bully breeds [Staffordshire Terriers, American pit

bulls, Bull Dogs, etc.]. I volunteer for an animal rescue dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating & re-homing

bully breeds. These are the most misunderstood dogs, with a rotten stigma, when in fact they are the

most loveable, smart, trainable dogs you could ever own.

Motto or Personal Mantra:

“Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about, Be Kind. Always.”

I’m happiest when:

I can spend time with my family and everyone is happy & healthy.

Pet Peeves:

Drivers that do not use their blinker. It was built in the car for a reason!!

Favorite song, movie, book, or comedian:

My favorite song is: Touch of Grey, Grateful Dead. (Whenever I’m stressed or sad, it always brightens my

day.)

My favorite book series: Don’t laugh… I loved reading the Twilight series!

My favorite comedian is Bill Burr. I’ve seen him live twice. He is hysterical.

Favorite food:

My Grandma’s fried chicken with mashed potatoes &

milk gravy.

I’m proudest of:

My 19 year old daughter, Kristina.

The Top 3 highlights of my life:

Watching my daughter grow

Traveling to different countries

Refreshing my life in 2016

People would be surprised to know:

I am an advocate for NAMI [National Alliance of Mental Illness] and I facilitate a monthly support group for

parents that live with and/or support a child/young adult with mental illness and/or behavioral disorders.

If I could do it all over again, I would:

I would have spent more time with my sister and my grandparents before they passed away.

Favorite memory (could be work-related or not):

When my grandma was dying of breast cancer she would rub my pregnant belly and talk to my unborn

child. She wasn’t able to meet my daughter as her cancer took her life in September of 1996.

On my Bucket List:

Travel to Fiji, spend a month in Ireland [most beautiful place I’ve ever been]

and of course: open my own animal rescue!

Page 11 REFLECTIONS

MACM Member Spotlight (Continued from Page 10)

Chief Judge Cahill Receives MSBA Advocate Award

By: Nancy Peters

The MSBA Advocate Award recognizes an individual making a significant contribution to improving the system of civil justice in Minnesota. This year’s recipient will be best known as the father of electronic filing, the Honorable Peter A. Cahill. Judge Cahill envisioned years ago what we now consider to be the “new normal” in filing—rather, efiling—case documents. His love of law and technology combined with his leadership result-ed in paving the way to reimagine our work environment, re-thinking our legal traditions, questioning our conventions, and revisiting the process of judicial administration. “Judge Cahill’s passion for a system of justice that assures equal access for fair and timely case resolution for all stakehold-ers is reflected in his commitment to eCourtMN,” noted Fourth Judicial District Administrator Kate Fogarty. Judge Cahill focused on why we needed to embrace change, citing tighter budgets, higher costs, and the needs of our Court's users—litigators, prosecutors, legislative leaders, and the public-at-large. As a result, Judge Cahill took his pursuit of electronic excellence out of the courtroom to the legislature and to legal colleagues around the world. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Cahill’s experience included four years as assis-tant public defender, private practice, and ten years in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Of-fice. His vast experience prepared him to truly identify with all types of court users and their needs. (Continued on Page 13)

MINNESOTA STATE COURT NEWS

FROM THE LAND OF 10,000 LAKES

Page 12 REFLECTIONS

District Updates - Continued from Page 12

Chief Judge Cahill (Continued)

If you can put an ‘e’ in front of it, he is your guy. Judge Cahill also played an integral role in the implementation of eCharging, selection of a new courtroom audio recording system, and securing funding for integrations of technology to improve the system. Judge Cahill; “It is a great honor to receive this award, but most of the credit for the success of the eCourtMN initiative goes to the many people in court administration who spent thousands of hours working to make digital courts a reality.” Judge Cahill continues his passion for efficiency and embracing innovation to expand to e-everything such as implementing e-search warrants, electronic searchable documents, and electronic signing for a variety of workflows. The award was presented on April 21, 2016 at the MSBA Civil Litigation Section annual meeting.

New Cottonwood/Murray County Court Administrator By: Michael Kelley

Sonja Kruger became the court administrator for Cot-tonwood and Murray counties on March 31, 2016. Sonja came to Cottonwood/Murray with nearly 23 years of

experience in the Minnesota Court System.

(Continued on Page 14)

Page 14 REFLECTIONS

In addition to time spent working for Blue Earth county court administration (1993-2002 and 2003-2014), Sonja has also worked as a training coordinator for the Fifth Judicial District and training and development specialist for the Judicial Branch eCourtMN initiatives.

When asked what she is most excited about in her new job and role, Sonja said, “I am very excited to be working with the Fifth Judicial District’s southwest assign-ment team as we move forward with our efforts to centralize operations.” Sonja adds, “After spending the past 17 months working on eCourtMN initiatives, I am looking forward to integrating these electronic efficiencies into our daily work.” “I am very fortunate to be working with a very progressive judge and very capable staff.”

Sonja thinks her biggest challenge may lie in bringing business partners on board with eFS. She says, “Many of the attor-neys and agencies in our area have not taken advantage of the voluntary efiling opportunity and may need some encour-agement and attention as July 1st draws near.” The Fifth District is confident that Sonja’s experience, enthusiasm, and posi-tive attitude will go a long way toward con-vincing business partners to get on board.

Sonja Kruger swearing in as Cottonwood/Murray Court Administrator by

Judge Christina Wietzema

District Updates - Continued from Page 13

Page 15 REFLECTIONS

Cheryl Peters Retires After 35 Years of Service

By: Barb Worrell, Assistant District Administrator

After 35 years of public service in the court system, Cottonwood County Court Administrator Cheryl Peters retired on March 31, 2016. The courtroom was bustling that afternoon as over 100 county officials and employ-ees, past and present cowork-ers, friends and family stopped by to convey their best wishes to Cheryl in her retirement.

In a parting email to 5th District

Court Administrators, Cheryl reminisced about her first MACM Conference experience. She burned a bag of microwave

popcorn and the whole building at Breezy Point had to be cleared out due to the awful smell. Cheryl says she never made popcorn again.

District Updates - Continued from Page 14

Cheryl Peters

Page 16 REFLECTIONS

District Updates - Continued from Page 15

Passing (Default) Judgment: Sixth District Partners with Fourth District By: Jamie Block

In January 2015, the Sixth Judicial District launched the Central Minor Civil (CMC) work unit in Cook County, the County near the tip of Minnesota’s Arrowhead. The CMC unit processes the six different judgment case types for all court locations in the District. Since its inception, the CMC has processed over 3,300 new cases. The use of eFS has opened doors for the CMC to take on more minor civil case types and events and to consider new possibilities for partner-ship.

Sharing work across county and district lines using eCourtMN tools is the logical next step. Earlier this winter, discussions began between the Sixth and Fourth Districts to form a part-nership, sharing court administration work across District lines. On April 1

st, staff at the Cook

County’s CMC unit began processing new Hennepin County default judgment cases. This is the first time that work has been shared across District lines using eFS.

For MNCIS processing, the three staff in Cook County and the Shore Court Operations Su-pervisor were granted the necessary updating rights at the Hennepin Civil node, not including financial rights. For eFS processing, Cook County staff are logging into the Fourth District’s eFS, so they can process cases in the Hennepin County eFS Judgment Queue. Cook County staff process up to eight new default judgment cases for Hennepin each day. All questions or issues regarding the cases themselves will still be handled by Hennepin Civil staff.

On April 1st, Cook County processed their first Hennepin County cases without incident and

have continued to successfully process Hennepin default judgment cases each day.

Page 17 REFLECTIONS

The Seventh District Has A New Management Team

The Seventh District has experienced tremendous management turnover during the past eight months. We have reached our optimum management team struc-ture established by the Seventh District Structure Committee.

Upon the retirement of Tim Roberts, George Lock was hired as the Stearns County Court Administrator and Cheri Woehler was named as the Benton Coun-ty and Mille Lacs County Court Administrator. Rhonda Bot’s area of responsibil-ity shifted to handle Douglas, Todd and Morrison Counties. The district wel-comed back Kathryn Ouren as the Otter Tail County and Wadena County Court Administrator. Janice Cossette retired on March 31, 2016 and Shelly Jeffers was named as her successor as the Becker County and Clay County Court Ad-ministrator.

In addition, there were several Court Operations Supervisor changes. Stearns County welcomed Janell Peterson and Kristen Harper. Alice Middendorf trans-ferred to Benton County. Katie Bloch was hired in Mille Lacs County. Kim Pohl-mann was hired in Todd County. Shari Kris from Morrison County added Doug-las County to her supervision responsibilities. Laree Robards was appointed in Wadena County. Sandy Nelson transferred to Becker County and Renelle Fen-no was named as the new Court Operation Supervisor in Clay County.

We are all excited about the new management team!

District Updates - Continued from Page 16

Page 18 REFLECTIONS

Ninth District Wellness Workshop Pajama Drive By: Sean Jones

On April 19th and 20

th, the Ninth District’s Labor Management Committee hosted its annual

Staff Wellness Days in Bemidji.

Events included an internationally renowned motivational speaker, Renee Rongen, a presen-tation on deaf & hard of hearing court users by Chief Judge Benshoof, as well as the oppor-tunity for staff from around the District to network and socialize. Part of the event was to col-lect pajamas for the Village of Hope homeless shelter, as they are one of the items most often

requested. The attached image shows what was collected—91 pairs of pajamas!

The Ninth District Management Team wants to take a moment to recognize and thank the staff of the Ninth District for their generosity and willingness to give back to our community.

District Updates - Continued from Page 17

Page 19 REFLECTIONS

Tenth District Housing State Family ECM/ENE Program Manager

By: Sherilyn Hubert

A new State Family ECM/ENE Program Manager position was approved in March 2016, to provide assistance to those counties/districts voluntarily accepting such help.

The Tenth Judicial District Administrator’s Office located in Ramsey, MN was selected to house and manage the statewide ECM/ENE Program under the leadership of Tenth District Administra-tor, Mike Moriarity, and supervised by Sherilyn Hubert. Tenth District’s ENE Coordinator, and MACM member Angela “Angel” Lussier will pro-vide these services.

Angel has been the Tenth District Early Neutral Evaluation Program Coordinator since May of 2014 and will continue to provide services to the District until a full transition can be made. Her offices will remain in the Tenth Judicial District Of-fice at 7533 Sunwood Dr. NW, Suite 306, Ramsey, MN 55303, phone 763-279-4320, e-mail Angela.lussier@courts.state.mn.us Questions regarding this pro-gram may be directed to Angel.

District Updates - Continued from Page 18

Angela “Angel” Lussier

Page 20 REFLECTIONS

Self-Help Center Expansion By: Mike Moriarity

The Tenth Judicial District is excited to be expanding

in-person services to self-represented litigants to all eight counties.

The Self-Help Center originated in 2015 in Anoka County and Anoka will continue to be the hub for the District.

The expansion plan is being led by Self-Help Center

Attorney, Sheldon Clark with assistance from new hire Self-Help Center Professional Molly Buckrey.

Molly came to us from Southern Minnesota Legal Services in Mankato and served as a law clerk for Judge Mennis in the Eighth Judicial District. The expansion began in April with Self-Help Center staff traveling to Pine and Kanabec Counties providing services on-site to self-represented

litigants.

On-site services will continue to be rolled out to the remaining five counties by early summer.

District Updates - Continued from Page 19

Sheldon Clark

Molly Buckrey

Page 22 REFLECTIONS

This just in...

Deb Morse becomes Director of Human Resources and Development for the Minnesota Judicial Branch

After serving the Fourth District as Human Re-

sources Manager, Deb has been appointed as

HRD Director for the Branch. Deb has worked in

Hennepin County since 1995. Throughout her

time in the Fourth, Deb has been closely involved

in contract negotiations and many statewide pro-

jects, such as Pay for Performance.

The Fourth District held a going away party for

Deb on May 12th. Her colleagues in the Fourth

said they were sad to see her go but happy to be

able to share her with the rest of the state.

Photos by Anne Murphy, Fourth District Human Resources

Fourth District Court Administrator, Kate Fogarty, and Deb Morse

Fourth District HR Supervisor, Rob Martin, Deb Morse, and EOD Manager, Dana Bartocci

Page 23 REFLECTIONS

2016 MACM Board of Directors

President Annette Fritz Washington County Court Administrator

Secretary Kim Carlson Training & Development Specialist, St. Louis County Court

First Vice President, Legislative & Outreach Committee Chair Wendy Van Duyne Court Operations Supervisor, Ramsey County Civil Court

Treasurer Susan Portugue Court Operations Manager, Anoka County Court

Second Vice President, Education Committee Chair Monica Tschumper Wright County Court Administrator

Past President Vicky Carlson Scott County Court Administrator

Third Vice President, Membership Services Committee Chair Aaron Williamson Project Manager, Hennepin County Criminal Court

Bylaws Committee Chair Lisa Lane Court Operations Manager, Hennepin County Civil Court

First District Karen Messner McLeod/Sibley County Court Administrator

Sixth District Susan Roerig Court Operations Manager, St. Louis County Court

Second District Gwen Upton Criminal Court Administrator Ramsey County

Seventh District Rhonda Bot Douglas/Morrison/Wadena County Court Administrator

Third District Patty Ball Mower County Court Administrator

Eighth District Susan Stahl Renville County Court Administrator

Fourth District DeAnn Hallberg Hearing Office Supervisor, Hennepin County Court

Ninth District Sean Jones Itasca/Lake of the Woods/Koochiching County Court Administrator

Fifth District Patty Amberg Redwood County Court Administrator

Tenth District Krista Anderson Court Operations Supervisor, Wright County Court

State Court Administrator’s Office Vacant