Marshall County Community Corrections Executive Director Ward Byers approached the county council on Monday morning asking for approval to seek grant funding for the department’s budget.
Byers said this request is in accordance with the preparation of the 2019 Fiscal Year budget.
“Our current fiscal year budget is $403,100,” said Byers. “I’m not certain if that’s going to go up at all. The advisory board has not reviewed any numbers yet. That will be done at December’s meeting.”
He clarified that the money is for the jail treatment program, community corrections and the prosecutor’s felony diversion program.
Byers said everything has to be in by the end of December or early January and then the state will advise the department how much the council will need to appropriate for the budget.
The council unanimously approved the request and commended Byers and the work of the community corrections staff on all of the programs they have available to rehabilitate offenders. He said there have been several success stories where clients have not re-offended.
Byers said the advisory board just gave its blessing in October for community corrections to assist circuit court with child support enforcement.
“In lieu of placing an individual in jail in contempt, they have an option of serving out time in community corrections with job placement and job training, or any substance abuse or mental health treatment referrals. We’ll obviously help them in getting their child support debt paid. Instead of them sitting in the jail for 60 or 90 days our goal is to get them out working and get that obligation taken care of.”
