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Drugs and alcohol are the leading cause of criminal problems in Kosciusko County, according to Kosciusko County Superior Court II Judge James C. Jarrette.
Thursday, Jarrette asked the Kosciusko County Council to approve the creation of a court-sponsored drug and alcohol program. The program will be operated through the county's probation department, and operating costs will be paid from the probation department's budget. Jarrette said some money also will be recouped for the program from user fees.
"We worked very hard through the years to get this program started," he said. The courts generally address the crimes but now they want to give their attention to the reasons for the crimes.
In the past, the courts have tried to address the reasons with probation or outside rehabilitation centers. However, Jarrette said, "We've never had a reliable provider."
Last year, Jarrette said, he asked for two additional probation officers and the council approved those. The purpose of one of those officers was to be the director of the drug and alcohol program. The director will be Lori A. Maike.
Now, Jarrette told the council Thursday, they need the approval from the county's fiscal body - the council - to start the program before the Indiana Judicial Center will approve it. Jarrette said he believes it won't cost the county any additional money except to pay the probation officers, and the county also will be taking in money from the user fees.
"I think we can more effectively cut down the alcohol and drug problem and therefore cut down on crime," Jarrette said.
Councilman Tom Anglin made a motion to approve the program and said, "It's a great program not only because it won't cost us any money but because we need this program."
The county council approved the program by a vote of seven to zero.
Asked how the program will measure its success, Jarrette said if they didn't try, they wouldn't be successful at all.
According to a letter from the Indiana Judicial Center to Jarrette, upon approval of the program from the council, the county may begin operating the court alcohol and drug program. In approximately six months, a two-day full certification review of the program will be conducted by the Indiana Judicial Center staff. If the county's program meets the requirements for full certification at that time, the county program will receive an operating certificate for three years.
The request by county prosecutor Chuck Waggoner for approval of a gun violence enforcement program was tabled by the council until their July meeting.
Waggoner was not at the meeting Thursday, but council chairman Jim Tranter said a letter from the prosecutor stated the council had previously authorized Waggoner to look further into a gun violence grant. Waggoner was awarded the grant of $120,000 for three years, which would pay $40,000 each year for a prosecutor to handle cases involving guns.
Tranter said the county would probably have to pay $18,000 for each of the three years plus the benefits for the employee. If the grant is not renewed after three years, then the county would have to pick up the employee's full salary and benefits.
Anglin said he wanted to hold off approval of the grant and program for a month so they can get some not only from Waggoner but also "the new prosecutor coming on."
"Is this something a part-time person could take care of?" Tranter asked.
Council vice chairman Brad Tandy said they have 60 days to act on it. The council unanimously tabled the program and grant.
In other business, the council:
• Approved the Milford Library capital projects plan.
• Approved a transfer of $2,000 for the county auditor's office for overtime.
• Approved two transfers, each for $1,000, for the county sheriff's department for promotions and approved the salary ordinance.
• Approved a salary ordinance for two new sheriff department jailers, who will each receive $1,059.46 biweekly.
• Approved a new employee for the work release center who will receive a salary of $23,148 to be paid from the community corrections grant fund.
According to Sam Whitaker, Work Release Center, the grant money received to pay for the new employee is for two years and the grant is renewable.
• Approved the salary ordinance for the new clerk deputy position in the county clerk's office. The employee will receive $732.53 and the position was approved at last month's meeting.
• Approved Dr. Paulette Sauders to serve on the Warsaw Community Public Library board.
• Heard from county administrator Ron Robinson that due to construction and cooling problems in the new section of the Justice Building, the courts and several county offices had to be moved for the next two to three months. The Circuit Court is now being held in the old courtroom in the courthouse.
• Heard from county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell the treasurer's office received 60 non-sufficient fund checks for this spring's tax payments - about 1 percent of all bills paid.
"That's the most we ever had," she said.
And, unfortunately, she said, there's no penalty for those checks. However, an ordinance is being written to charge a fee and require cash or cashier's check for payment of all taxes approaching tax sale status. The county commissioners will consider an ordinance to add charges and direct method of payment. She said it's usually the same people every year writing the bad checks.
• Budget hearings are Aug. 5-6, 8 and Sept. 12.
Council members are Anglin, Tranter, Tandy, Harold Jones, John Kinsey, Larry Teghtmeyer and Maurice Beer. They meet at 7 p.m. in the county courthouse on the second Thursday of every month.
