As Franklin County sinks deeper in debt, Director of Court Services Mike Abell attended Monday's County Board meeting to answer questions about money owed to the Juvenile Detention Center.
Concerned that the county might not see the $1.5 million promised from the state, member Ken Hungate got the question-and-answer meeting started.
"I don't think anyone wants to see the Juvenile Detention Center fail," Hungate said. "If what Sen. Gary Forby told our treasurer John Gulley is true, that puts the county in a serious situation."
Gulley said the county might not see any more reimbursement from the state to offset salaries because the funding chain is drying up.
Realizing the sense of urgency, Abell said county juveniles who are convicted of criminal activity would be sent to another facility should the Juvenile Detention Center be forced to close its doors in the future.
When asked if the center could survive without the reimbursement from the state, Abell said it would be close.
"It might come close, but it would be pretty hard to break even," he said.
Chairman Randall Crocker said the methamphetamine treatment program would "have to go." Abell said the meth program enabled the facility to remain open, despite the lack of state reimbursement.
Crocker said he wanted Abell to generate a profit-and-loss statement on the meth treatment program that began as a pilot program. Sponsored through legislation by State Rep. John Bradley and Sen. Gary Forby, Crocker said county board members should contact them to encourage continued funding for the meth program and the Juvenile Detention Center.
Abell said eight beds have been set aside for the meth treatment program.
"The county gets $100 per bed," he said. "The meth treatment program has been very successful. We will receive $200,000 through Illinois State University at Normal."
Abell said professors are studying the treatment program and submit money to the county to offset expenses incurred.
He said the program does cost more than the county receives.
"It costs $600,000 to run the meth treatment program the way it should be run," Abell said. "We got $130,000 in grant funding last year and are getting less this year."
When asked about saving money, he said the county could save $60,000 in staffing costs if the meth program came to a close.
Crocker asked if the beds could be filled with non-meth juveniles. Abell said the facility currently houses between 29 and 30 juveniles and is close to being full.
