DARLINGTON — A Lafayette County Law Enforcement Committee meeting was held July 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheriff’s Office Conference Room.
John Shulta of Lafayette County Court Services was on hand to discuss the direction Lafayette County’s Treatment Court was going in.
According to Shulta Lafayette County’s Treatment Court is mostly funded by Treatment Alternative and Diversion Grant through the State Dept. of Justice, they fund $118,000 of the $158,000 it takes to run the department. The remaining $40,000 is covered by the county.
Shulta said, “Our ultimate goal is we would like to expand the treatment court. Currently we serve alcohol clients. We’re in a partnership with Green County for another year or two, when that partnership will run out.”
Judge Duane Jorgansen said, “One of the things about OWI and treatment court, many times getting through that first phase can be really difficult for someone who’s drug dependent. But if you have a forth or fifth OWI — 90 days being sober is easy, because you’re in jail. Forced sobriety.”
Sheriff Reg Gill and committee discussed a prevalent problem with methamphetamine in Lafayette County.
After much discussion the committee was in agreement about going forward with pursuing grants to keep the program going forward. The item will be put on a future meeting and a formal approval will be made at that time.
In Sheriff’s business:
● Approved replacing an air conditioning unit in dispatch. The unit will be purchased and installed by Fritz Burner Service of Darlington at a cost of $8,450.
● Approved allowing Lafayette County Sheriff Lieutenant Theresa Burgess to look into pricing from AT&T to update and upgrade the NG911 system. The system is waiting for fiber optics to come into the courthouse so the system will be able to operate.
● Approved a resolution to accept a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Grant. The resolution recognizes Lafayette County Sheriff’s Dept as the only PSAP in Lafayette County. One grant is presented to each county in the state. The amount of the grant was not divulged.
● Jail nurse — The jail nurse resigned July 1 and Gill is looking at options to replace the position. The current position pays $35 per hour and is for an average of three hours per week.
Gill noted he reached out to the Lafayette Manor and the Lafayette County Health Dept. and both were willing to provide a RN at a cost of $55 per hour.
Since then, Carly Winslow expressed interest in the position and has been hired at $40 per hour.
A motion was approved to send this pay change to the finance department for approval.
● Staffing — Gill expressed remorse for jinxing himself — because at the last meeting he told the committee that staffing was in good shape and all positions were filled. Since then the department has seen a resignation from one part-time deputy, one full-time patrol deputy and a verbal resignation from another full-time patrol deputy. One jailer has put in for patrol (this will leave an opening in the jail).
● Lafayette County Fair — Gill said, “Overall it went very well. We had a few small issues Saturday night at the tractor pull and one incident at the demo derby.”
Sheriff Dept. costs for policing the fair was $4,749 and the Fair Committee reimburses us $4,000.
The dunk tank the Sheriff’s Dept. runs brought in $1,500, which goes towards Shop with a Cop.
● Paid February vouchers in the amount $49,363. Even with higher costs the department is still under budget through June 2022.