Jefferson County Board Approves Resolution

The Jefferson County Board on Monday approved a resolution to pay $150,000 to the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center.

A total of about $197,000 was given to Jefferson County in error by the state, which was supposed to go to Franklin County for probation services.

The $150,000 going to Franklin County is out of the more than $359,000 received at the beginning of the month in back probation reimbursements.

At the August County Board meeting, Jefferson County Treasurer Dan Knox told the board that Jefferson County, the lead county for probation for the Second Judicial Circuit, was owed more than $700,000 for probation allocations. In addition, Board Chairman Robert White explained that a formula confusion allocated extra funds to Jefferson County instead of Franklin County, which will be the lead county in the Second Judicial Circuit in the future because of the 2010 Census.

Board member Ted Buck questioned why the county would not give the total amount owed to Franklin County.

Knox said the board could make a recommendation on how to pay back the remaining balance, adding it could be in smaller installments to lessen the burden on Jefferson County.

White said Jefferson County asked for $400,000 to $500,000 of the money owed for probation allocations, but received $359,000, so he didn’t think it was appropriate to reimburse Franklin County for the full amount wrongly allocated to Jefferson County.

In addition, he said he believes having a balance will offer Jefferson County the additional clout of Reps. John Bradley and Gary Forby.

The board voted 14 to 0 to pay $150,000 to Franklin County.

The board also approved a resolution to allow Probation Department claims to be processed by Franklin County.

White has told the board that Franklin County can’t afford to take on the whole responsibility of being lead county for probation in the Second Judicial Circuit, so Jefferson County will continue to handle payroll and Franklin County will handle the claims effective Dec. 1.  eszZ7

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