Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2006
Source: Daily Times-Call, The (CO)
Copyright: 2006, The Daily Times-Call
Contact:  http://www.longmontfyi.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1475
Author: Pierrette J. Shields, The Daily Times-Call

DRUG COURT HAS FAN ON COUNTY BOARD

Other Commissioners More Reserved As $446,000 Funding  Request Is Made

BOULDER -- Boulder County Commissioner Tom Mayer is so  enthusiastic 
about the proposed creation of a drug  court that Commissioner Ben 
Pearlman joked that he  should be pitching the plan.

Boulder County District Chief Judge Roxanne Bailin on  Tuesday led a 
group of county social service and law  enforcement leaders before 
the commissioners to make a  case for funding the proposed Integrated 
Treatment  Court to the order of $446,000.

The three-member board is in the middle of budget  hearings for the 
2007 budget year.

The new court would work with county social services,  law 
enforcement and local treatment programs to provide  quicker and more 
comprehensive treatment for substance  abusers, with an emphasis on 
keeping them out of jail  and providing stable environments for 
children of the  offenders.

"It is about these kids as much as anything else,"  Mayer said during 
the hearing, noting his early and  fervent support for the court. "I 
look at what can  happen to kids, and I look at what can happen to 
people's lives."

Pearlman and Commissioner Will Toor were more reserved  with their opinions.

"We are just at the beginning of very lengthy budget  hearings," 
Pearlman said, noting a tight budgetary year  ahead. "We are going to 
have some tough choices."

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle also asked the  commissioners to 
fund the new court, in part to relieve  crowding at the Boulder 
County Jail by diverting some  substance abusers or people with 
mental heath issues  into the alternative program.

The commission will be working on the budget through  this month and November.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine