Pubdate: Wed, 01 Nov 2000
Source: Green Bay News-Chronicle (WI)
Copyright: 2000 Green Bay News-Chronicle
Contact:  P.O. Box 2467, Green Bay WI 54306
Fax: 920-432-8581
Website: http://www.greenbaynewschron.com/

DARE AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS RAISE NEW QUESTIONS

The Sheriff's Department may have to switch to smaller squad cars and give 
them more miles By Jeff Decker News-Chronicle Times have been tougher, but 
Brown County gets a little closer to those times with every proposed new 
cut in the budget. The proposed halving of the county's DARE program - Drug 
Abuse Resistance Education - is not sitting well with educators.

"Our DARE officer eats lunch with the kids, goes out to recess," said Nancy 
Schultz, principal of Webster Elementary school, 2101 S. Webster Ave., 
Allouez. "They look forward to attending the sessions."

With the Public Safety Committee's recommendation to cut $140,000, half of 
the DARE budget, Schultz said she isn't sure if her students will be able 
to make the right decisions for their futures.

"I was expecting some cuts, but not two DARE positions," said Sheriff Tom 
Hinz. "We're losing a valuable component to raising a healthy child."

Sup. Harold Kaye, the committee chairman, said the community's interest in 
DARE may be waning.

"When the Green Bay School Board cut 50 percent of what they gave (to the 
program this year), it made us think how important DARE was to them," Kaye 
said. "We've got to tighten the belt all over."

The county was facing a $3 to $4 million deficit until the County Board 
increased its annual bond issue by $2 million and transferred other funds 
in September, but the move amounted to $500,000 less than County Executive 
Nancy Nusbaum requested.

Thursday, the Education & Recreation Committee rejected Nusbaum's proposal 
to save $185,000 by closing a library branch, with several supervisors 
saying the cut could come from the public safety budget instead.

De Pere has "Counteract" and Ashwaubenon funds all of its own DARE program, 
but otherwise Hinz said every public elementary school in the county is 
covered by his department's program.

"We're looking for alternative funding for this," the sheriff said. "That's 
my priority right now."

Green Bay Superintendent Tom Joynt said he did not know if funds would be 
available to keep the program at 100 percent.

"We would certainly cooperate with the county and involved officials in 
seeking grants," he said.

The committee made about $140,00 in other recommended cuts to the sheriff's 
budget Monday. The department would be getting 15 new pistols instead of 
30, three radar units instead of six, a new engine and transmission for an 
old van instead of a new van, and six patrol cars instead of 11.

"We'll have the same number of squad cars on the road," Hinz said, but each 
would be getting more miles. "You can't run squad cars as long as you run a 
family car."

Another trim is the budget of Teen Court, which was held at $61,000 instead 
of being raised to $70,000.

"One dollar invested in crime prevention is worth $7 in corrections costs 
down the line," Hinz said.

The committee plans to meet again Thursday to finish work on its part of 
the county budget, including the Office of the Medical Examiner.

The budget removes the position of chief medical examiner, which required a 
forensic pathologist. Sup. Guy Zima said he opposes eliminating the 
position unless the county reverts to having an elected coroner.

"You don't want the person who is determining death have to kowtow to an 
administration," Zima said.

The coroner position was eliminated when the appointed pathologist post was 
created. The new job has been vacant since the resignation of Gregory 
Schmunk about two years ago.

FYI The Brown County Public Safety Committee plans is scheduled to meet at 
5:30 p.m. Thursday in the executive's committee meeting room on the sixth 
floor of the Northern Building, 305 E. Walnut St.
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