Kathy Gainey has always liked to recycle. Some furniture in her office as Clerk of Richmond County Courts is recycled from other county offices.

So when the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) sent a letter to reduce consumption of supplies, Gainey already had the mind-set to do so.

And other restrictions have been applied to operations of the office.

“Years ago we talked about reducing the use of paper,” she said. “Now the talk has turned into action.”

Technology has also helped. Court dockets for lawyers and others are no longer printed. They are available to anyone online at www.nccourts.org.

This week the AOC will be studying the installation of a new telephone system of its own at the courthouse. Gainey said it was her understanding it would operate through their Internet connection.

In the meantime, the office is keeping long-distance calls to a minimum. The new service should be available by the end of the year.

Richmond County provides space and furniture for the Clerk of Court offices, but all other expenses, including salaries, are the responsibility of the AOC.

Paper that used to be mailed to lawyers is now placed in their message boxes inside the clerk’s office to save postage.

Leftover paper with space still available on it is cut and recycled for scrap paper.

Jury duty notices still have to be mailed, but notices of excused or deferred duty will relayed verbally over the telephone, not by letter.

Each term of Superior Court some 125 to 150 jury notices are mailed. Superior Criminal Court sessions average nearly twice a month and Superior Civil Court every six weeks, all of which may require juries.

Computer printing is restricted to two printers, one in first floor offices and the other on the second floor. The only exception is a separate printer in the Estate Division.

For outsiders to use the clerk’s office copier, a key can be issued in which the first copy costs $2 and 25 cents is charged for all other copies.

‘That helps pay for ink and maintenance as well as paper,” Gainey said. There are two copy machines, one on each floor.

“The amount of paperwork for each case can add up considerably,” she said.

Supplies for the clerk’s office come from the AOC in Raleigh so the state knows who is making an effort at conserving.

Should anyone on her staff leave for any reason, Gainey said she will not be able to hire a replacement. “Under no circumstance will there be any overtime either,” she said. There are 19 other members of her staff.

Gainey already buys and uses her own pens because she doesn’t care for the state issue. “But we even cut back on the use of highlighting pens to save,” she said.

Judge John W. Smith, AOC director, said the N.C. Office of Budget and Management cut the AOC monthly operating funds 95 percent.

“We can’t pay all of our monthly bills based upon this shortage of cash.” he said. “We expect this through the end of this fiscal year, and we have been told our allotment may be reduced further.”

Mileage for clerks has also been reduced to 25 cents a mile. “Travel should be restricted to essential travel only,” Smith said.

He said he will be, “reviewing and limiting use of emergency judges and temporary assistant district attorneys.”