JOHN COFFELTEditor

Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee approved at the Nov. 2 meeting a budget amendment that will fund a drug treatment program that will replace Coffee County Drug Court.

The new program, Recovery and Prevention Court will be under the guidance of General Sessions Court Judge Robert Carter, and it’s two-year operating budget will be $200,000.

Half of those funds will come from the Opioid State Abatement Fund and the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance abuse grant for $100,000 each.

The funding will not affect the county’s operating fund balance.

Included in the $200,000 is the salary for two positions, a Director’s salary for $82,800 and an assistant at $30,000, plus their various insurance and benefit expenses.

Rent for the former Drug Court office is included with a line item of $19,200 and utilities budgeted at $15,000.

Once the program is running, court fees and charges will supplement the program’s funding.

Judge Robert Carter and Margo Kilgore are coordinating the judicial side of the program.

“We are going to reinstitute the Drug Court, and put it under the direct supervision of the county,” Carter previously told the Times that the goal of the new Recovery Court will remain that of Drug Court, to divert offenders from prison who primarily have an addiction problem who would otherwise not participate in criminality and get them the treatment they need.

“Keeping those people in a drug court system is manifestly cheaper than housing them in jail,” Carter said.

An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office released last April reported a series of problems related to the Coffee County Drug Court Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Manchester.

The investigative report details eight serious findings related to the executive director’s management of the foundation. Some of these issues place the foundation at risk for penalties, property seizure, refund of grant awards, or other legal action.

Animal Control amendment to return funds to budget

In the final meetings to approve this year’s County Budget, several cuts were made including a cut Animal Control budget line items that funds feed and veterinary services.

Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee, however, at the Nov. 2 Budget and Finance Meeting recommended a budget amendment that would add $15,000 to fund veterinary services and $5,000 for feed.

Coffee County Accounts and Budgets Director Marianna Edinger said at that meeting that the shelter had already spent most of the money in the current line item.

She said that the county will usually receive donations that will offset some of the cost for dog food.

Coffee County Animal Control operates with a $204,590 budget. If the amendment passes the full legislative body at the November meeting, it would increase that budget to 224,590.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.