Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
In spite of criticism by one of its members, the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously approved a proposal for a juvenile detention center near Pierceton.
BZA member Ron Sharp said, "I don't want human garbage dumped on Kosciusko County."
Sharp said he was concerned that juvenile delinquents from areas like Chicago would be brought into the facility.
Charlotte Nesbitt, executive director of Corrections Corporation of America's Southwest Indiana Regional Youth Village at Vincennes, responded to Sharp's statement by saying that they did not view anyone as "human garbage."
She also said they could not control who came into the facility. She said the Vincennes facility, which is six hours away, has had Kosciusko County juveniles in it.
Nesbitt said that having CCA operate the facility would save the county money. She said that the company spent nearly $2 million on supplies alone. A normal facility would have supplies shipped from outside the county.
Superior Court Judge Duane Huffer, who helped originate the project, said as soon as he saw the Vincennes facility, he was "sold on it."
Currently, Kosciusko County sends juvenile delinquents to Park View at a cost of $141 per day. The new facility would reduce that to $100-$120 per day.
One of the main items Huffer was impressed with was the involvement of the family. The facility will hold on-site counseling for family and child.
Huffer said that if the family and environment don't change, then nothing will improve.
"I'm quite happy with this facility," he said.
Only two remonstrators protested the proposal. Both were concerned about safety and appeared satisfied with the 6-foot fence that will surround the area.
Robert Biggs was concerned with living across the road from the entrance to the facility. Nesbitt said that CCA would move the entrance approximately 100 feet from Bigg's residence.
Biggs was also concerned with traffic on CR 250S and asked that the entrance be moved to an access road.
