By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MASON - The highly debated request for more Municipal Court staffing is off the table.

City Council was expected to vote on adding two probation officers to the court Monday night. But before the vote, court officials asked the Court Liaison Committee to withdraw the request.

Clerk of Court Bill Scherpenberg said Tuesday that the court feared discussions would have become a fight over outside issues.

"Under the climate as things are now, that was scheduled to be no more than a whipping session, and that would make both the court and the city look bad," Scherpenberg said. "The need is not great enough now that we need to embarrass both the court and the city."

Mayor John McCurley said he had "no idea what he's talking about."

This wasn't the first time the court's spending has been scrutinized by city officials. The court's 2003 budget exceeds $1 million, and City Council had compared it to the $378,000 spent in 2000.

Staffing also has been an ongoing issue. Since Judge George Parker took the bench in January 2002, council has approved 11 new court positions and increased the salaries of others.

The most recent request, first discussed June 9, was for a full-time and a part-time probation officer. Council had tabled a vote at its June 23 meeting.

Court officials say they need the probation officers in order to prepare for new statewide sentencing practices that start in 2004.

"In light of that, I have every expectation we'll be seeing this again," said Councilman Tom Grossmann, a member of the Court Liaison Committee.

Tensions also are high between the court and the police department. In one incident, the judge charged the police chief with contempt of court for not transporting a prisoner from the county jail. Charges have since been dismissed against the chief, who had public support from several city officials.

In other court discussions, McCurley suggested the city seek an outside legal opinion regarding control over the police department. That opinion could come from the Ohio Supreme Court or Attorney General's Office.

City charter gives the city control over the police department. But this month, Parker told the Enquirer that he could give orders to police officers because they are ex-officio bailiffs, which requires them to do anything the judge, his clerk or bailiffs ask of them. Parker added that he considers officers an additional resource to the court.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com