The Marshall County Council members welcomed two new members during their first meeting of the year on Monday morning.
Jack Roose and Mandy Campbell were elected to the council in the November General Election. They join Judy Stone who was retained as Council President, Penny Lukenbill as Council Vice President, and members Jon VanVactor, James Masterson, and Heath Thornton.
They considered a joint effort by the Community Corrections, Probation Department, Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Department to submit a grant application for the Community Corrections next Fiscal Year budget, as explained by Community Corrections Director Ward Byers.
“The Prosecutor’s Felony Diversion is its own entity, jail treatment is its own, Probation is applying for the first time and it will be its own, and then Community Corrections is our own,” said Byers. “So, what we have to do is collaborate together and put the grants together, but each grant stands alone once it is approved by the State. It goes to the State as one large package.”
Byers requested about $367,000 which is an increase of $62,000 in order to add a full-time case manager to accommodate an increase in cases. Byers said about 106 offenders take part in the community corrections GPS component.
Prosecutor Nelson Chipman is requesting $59,300 for a Pre-Trial Diversion Officer which is the same amount requested as last year and Sheriff Matt Hassel is requesting $79,000 for jail treatment programs and a full-time Jail Treatment Program Coordinator. He added that a GED program will start soon with two evenings a week at the jail, a four-week restaurant/food service certification program, and a 12-step program.
Chief Probation Officer Jim Bendy requested about $64,000 for an intake officer for pre-trial services and about $65,000 for another moderate to high risk offender probation officer.
The county council members approved the overall grant application as presented. The full presentation will be offered during Sunday’s Maximum Impact program at noon on 98.3 FM.
