"It is against my better judgement, and with the threat of monetary penalties to this county," began a letter by Marsha McSherry, Kosciusko County Clerk, to James M. Hmurovich, Director at the Division of Family and Children, Indianapolis, "that in response to your April 30, 1998 deadline (extended to May 15, 1998) that the Kosciusko County Clerk's office does hereby agree to go on the ISETS system"

The controversial ISETS system is being pushed by the state of Indiana as a centralized child support collections system. Information entered into the local ISETS database is available to every county in Indiana as well as all other states that are on the ISETS system.

McSherry understands the need for a current database to enhance collections and provide availability of data.

"But," said McSherry, "a child dependent on support routed through a governmental agency is better served by a locally elected clerk than a state bureaucracy."

Among other questions and concerns McSherry had was that the AS 400 IBM equipment would be obsolete before it was installed. The installation process is being spread out over several years, with some counties already having the system functioning.

Along with the letter McSherry sent to Hmurovich, she included a copy of a letter written by Emily C. Mills, deputy prosecutor of Morgan County.

Mills said, "The implementation of the financial component of ISETS in the Morgan County Clerk's office has substantially increased the workload of my staff as well as the staff of the Clerk's office."

Aside from the lack of technical training provided by the ISETS people, Mills stated "I have been appalled at the number of cases that were incorrectly loaded by the ISETS persons at the time of conversion in September 1997."

The ISETS people's lack of training to the Morgan County Clerk's office could be a reflection of what is the future of Kosciusko County.

McSherry also believes the implementation of the ISETS system will "sacrifice the responsiveness of my duty as clerk and the needs of the children served by this office."

Mills said the Morgan County Child Support Division was designed to serve the needs of custodial parents but with ISETS in place, they now serve as bookkeepers and accountants as well.

"I fail to see how ISETS is serving the needs of parents in the State of Indiana and I am disillusioned because promises of assistance from the State have not been forthcoming." said Mills. [[In-content Ad]]