The Pulaski County government plans to take some substantive steps to improve security inside the courthouse.
During a joint session of the Pulaski County Council and Commissioners, County Clerk Christi Hoffa revisited an issue that looks to improve communication and enhance the safety of the employees.
Kim Kennedy, the Officer Manager of the Starke County Community Corrections, appeared before the county council this week to discuss the misdemeanor funds received from the state. Those funds, which total $16,885 a year, are divided between the Sheriff’s office and Community Corrections.
Community Corrections has only used $2800 of the misdemeanor funds, and she was asked if the unused funds by her office could be released to the Sheriff’s office. Kennedy said she has no problem with the Sheriff using the funds, but requested permission to only bill the auditor once a year.
The misdemeanor funds are to keep prisoners with less than a felony conviction out of the county jail until sentencing. If they cannot afford to go into home monitoring with Community Corrections, those funds are used so they can be enrolled. This lessens the population of the county jail, which, given its high population history, is extremely helpful.
The council asked Kennedy to bill the county on a more regular basis, and she said a bill to be paid out of the fund will be sent to the auditor every two months.
