DRUG COURT SPARKS OUTBURST

The Allen County Council president and a Superior Court judge got into a
shouting match Wednesday when the council almost denied a $90,000 funding
request next year for the drug court.

Council President Mike Cunegin said he would like the county to fund the
program, but it doesn't have the money.

That prompted Allen Superior Judge Kenneth Scheibenberger to raise his voice.

"You have been a supporter of this program for many years and now you're
getting off the bus," Scheibenberger told Cunegin.

"I'm not getting off the bus," Cunegin yelled back.

Councilman Bill Schnizer calmly suggested the council should not cut the
drug court so soon in the budget process. The council should look to ax
other programs first, he said.

"Have the balls to do that this morning," Scheibenberger replied.

Councilwoman Sandra Houlihan then gasped and marched out of the budget hearing.

Council members delayed a decision on whether to fund the drug court. They
gave Scheibenberger until the Sept. 17 to find other ways to fund the program.

Council members began their heated discussion by repeating their vow not to
use county general fund money - which is backed by property taxes - to
continue programs started with grants.

Grants for the drug court ran out last year.

"I deal with rules everyday," Scheibenberger said. "There are exceptions to
every rule."

The drug court allows non-violent defendants charged with possessing drugs
to have their criminal charges dismissed in exchange for successfully
addressing their drug problems and taking court-ordered steps to improve
their lives.

The court is effective, Scheibenberger said. Only 5 percent of the
program's participants don't complete it.

The drug court's recent requests for grants have been denied because
private foundations believe tax dollars should fund government programs,
Scheibenberger said.

A golf outing Wednesday at Deer Track Golf Course was expected to raise
$15,000 for the drug court, said John S. Nimmo, a criminal defense attorney
and member of the Stop Addiction Foundation, the non- profit group that
organized the fund-raiser.

After Wednesday's council meeting, Houlihan said the drug court "is kind of
like the DARE program - it's a warm fuzzy. I'm not saying whether the
program is good, better or indifferent." DARE, short for Drug Abuse
Resistance Education, is conducted by police officers in public schools.
The program is designed to teach kids about the dangers of drugs, but
critics have questioned its effectiveness. The Fort Wayne Police Department
ended the program this year.

Superior Judge Fran Gull said she's hopeful money can be found for the drug
court in Superior Court's budget or through other programs.

Gull said it's possible that council members are miffed at the Superior
Court judges for mandating the County Council and commissioners in April to
build a $28.5 million juvenile detention center. The detention center will
replace the aging Wood Youth Center, 2929 N. Wells St.

When Cunegin said during Wednesday's heated debate that the council doesn't
have money to fund the drug court, Scheibenberger replied the council has
yet to touch a $4.7 million refund of county option income tax from the state.

Cunegin said the council can't use that money because it is tied up in the
Superior Court mandate.

"We can change that this morning," Scheibenberger said and nodded at the
other Superior Court judges in the audience.

Cunegin told Scheibenberger: "Come back."