Lyon County commissioners meet for action session
JJA incentive grant won't be funded by county
By Brandy Nance
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Lyon County commissioners didn’t approve matching funding for a grant through Community Corrections during today's meeting.
On Wednesday, commissioners heard from Robert Sullivan, Community Corrections director about a JJA incentive grant. The $18,120 grant will have to be met dollar-for-dollar by Lyon County. Sullivan asked commissioners if they would be willing to fund that grant. It would be used for a community service project that will involve law enforcement in Lyon and Chase County.
“The primary focus is to target graffiti in and around Emporia,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said the grant would help implement a program that would involve a restorative justice model, which uses low-risk offenders. The offenders would be asked to re-pay for their crime through graffiti removal.
During today's meeting, commissioners expressed concern over the funding needed for the program. With the county’s one percent sales tax still up in the air until January, commissioners are being cautious they said.
“I’m a little concerned how we are going to fund everything if things go south,” Scott Briggs, Lyon County Commission chairman said.
Commissioner Marshall Miller moved to approve the grant funding. However, there was no second from either Briggs or Commissioner Bob Davis. The motion died for a lack of second.
Sullivan will have another chance to apply for the grant in 2009 and said he will bring it back to commissioners when he starts working on the block grant for fiscal year 2010.
“In my opinion this is a great project,” Briggs said. “I would feel more comfortable in February or March when we will know funding will come in.”
For more on today's Lyon County Commission meeting see Thursday's Gazette.
LifeGoesOn (anonymous) says...
So am I to understand that, mr.Sullivan was asking the commission for 18 grand, to go along with another 18 grand ($36000.00) to make low-risk offenders re-pay for their crime through graffiti removal??
Now I'm all for getting these "low risk offenders" to pay for their crime by doing a little cleaning and some painting over graffiti, but THIRTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS! seems a bit over the top.
If these offenders are to PAY for their crime, have them buy the cleaning supplies/paint themselves, Then report in to the probation office when the graffiti is removed or covered in a manner good enough for the city/county, seems pretty simple to me If the offenders do not complete the task in a timely manner, again, set by the city/county then they GO TO JAIL.
I am pretty sure this or something close to this idea could be done for less then another 18 grand of tax money.
December 11, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )