Pubdate: Tue, 02 Aug 2005
Source: Parkersburg News, The (WV)
Copyright: 2005, The Parkersburg News
Contact:  http://www.newsandsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1648
Author: Pamela Brust

COMMISSIONERS AGREE TO COVER LOST GRANT FUNDS

PARKERSBURG - Wood County commissioners agreed Monday to grant a
request for $43,625 to cover lost grant funding in the prosecutor's
office. During a meeting last week, Conley told commissioners she
needed $36,316 to help pay salaries that were part of the lost grant
funds. She informed the commission Monday, the total needed, including
benefits would be $43,625.

The commissioners voted unanimously to allocate the funds, with the
stipulation if the Drug Task Force grant furnds ($20,800) come
through, that amount would be subtracted from the allocation. The
funding through the drug task force grant helps partially pay for an
assistant prosecutor's salary who handles drug cases.

Conley told the commissioners a former $40,000 Project Safe
Neighborhoods grant (a three-year program) that helped fund Assistant
Prosecutor Patrick Lefebure's salary, had been eliminated. Lefebure
worked in prosecuting crimes involving guns, as well as other cases in
the office. The Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) grant was cut by
about $1,000 this year, and full-time victim's advocate Diana
Williams' benefits were taken away. A $29,016 Juvenile Accountability
Block Grant, which pays for juvenile justice liaison Rozann Wilcox's
program, was cut back to $14,516 this year. The liaison works with
youth and their parents, providing information and services for
juvenile diversion programs.

The prosecutor said although no formal notification had been received
yet, she also anticipates the loss of $20,800 which helps pay an
assistant prosecutor to handle drug cases through the
Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force.

Referring to the need to pick up on the grant shortfall, Commissioner
Rick Modesitt noted " short of laying people off, with the exception
of the outstanding drug force grant, I think we need to move on this.
We can make the amount contingent on receipt of that drug force grant
funding, so that amount could be deducted if that grant comes through."

"The biggest problem with all these grants is that they are going to
expire at some time. But with law enforcement and the prosecutor's
office what do you do? You have very little recourse. I don't think we
can afford not to act when it comes to law enforcement.," Modesitt
said.

"We have rainy day funds we can use. We have to be prepared or let
people go every time we lose a grant. They are good services to the
county," he said.

Conley said she hopes to receive word on the Drug Task Force grant
funding within the next day or so.

"The fact that the county commission was willing to provide the
salaries for the grant funds that were lost is very beneficial to the
prosecutor's office. It means my juvenile justice liaison position
will get to continue, which is an integral part of the juvenile
justice system here in Wood County. The victim's advocate was cut
slightly and of course, the advocate Diana Williams' is a very
valuable asset to the criminal justice system here. With the
methamphetamine problem that we've seen, as well as the other drug
issues, it's very important to have an assistant prosecutor specialize
in drug prosecutions," Conley said.

Conley said she is concerned what the future holds for other
grants.

"Many of the counties lost the juvenile justice grant funds this year,
but because our program was so strong and so unique, we were able to
at least maintain half of those funds this year. I do anticipate
losing those funds next year, and need to incorporate that into the
budget for next year," Conley said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin