Editorial

By Jon A. Brake

Budget problems with the Geary County Commission have the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility scrambling for money. Geary County has reduced the number of juveniles placed in the center by more than half.

Shawn Brandmall, Director of the Center and Richard Comfort attorney for the Center told the Riley County Commission Monday that the Center was losing approximately $12,500 per month. The Center has $313,000 in savings and told the Commission that by April of 2002 they will be out of money. The 2001 Budget for the Center was $783,000, of that Geary County has been providing 40-50 percent because they have 40-50 percent of the juvenile inmates.

The money Geary County pays tells the story: 1994 - $294,095; 1995 - $294,515; 1996 - $277,015; 1997 - 245,369; 1998 - $328,414; 1999 - $412,831; 2000 - $185,500.

Here are the fourteen counties participating in the center and the percentage they pay for the operation: Cloud .01; Dickinson .13; Geary .51; Jewell .00; Lincoln .00; Marion .03; Marshall .01; Mitchell .00; Morris ..03; Ottawa .04; Pottawatomie .01; Republic .01; Riley .23; Washington ..00.

The Riley County Commission said that they would wait until the Juvenile Center Board of Directors next meeting to find out what the Directors recommend be done. Brandmall and Comfort have appointments to talk to all fourteen Commissions.