CARSON CITY TO RAISE CIVIL FEES TO PAY FOR DRUG COURT

Carson City supervisors Thursday doubled the cost of filing civil
documents in Carson City District Court and will use the extra money to
help pay for a five-county drug court.

On the last day of the Legislature session, lawmakers voted to put
$150,000 a year for two years toward the drug court, with the
understanding that the counties using the program -- Carson City,
Douglas, Lyon, Storey and Churchill -- also would help pay for it.

"We have to step to the plate, too," Mayor Ray Masayko said Thursday.
"We have to provide some funds for this."

Increasing the cost of filing a civil court document from $5 to $10
should generate about $12,960 for the court, Judge Michael Griffin
predicted.

Drug courts have operated in Clark and Washoe counties but Griffin said
the Carson-Douglas region will have the first in the West to serve a
rural area.

"There used to be an idea that you couldn't stop someone from drinking
or stop someone from using drugs. That has been proven wrong by the
drug-court model," Griffin told city supervisors. "It's going to be a
tremendous improvement to what we do with drug cases."

The drug court should be in operation by September, Griffin said.

Judge Archie Blake of Churchill and Lyon counties will run the court,
traveling weekly to each of the counties. Drug offenders would be given
a choice of getting a felony conviction or participating in the drug
court, which would include a one-year treatment period.

Between the five counties, about 125 people are expected to participate.

"The drug-court model has been very successful nationwide. If we see 125
people who are eligible, we anticipate not seeing most of those people
again," Griffin said.

The participants will be charged a fee. But, Griffin said, it was
important that Carson City and the other jurisdictions provide money to
show their support for the court.

Supervisors endorsed the proposal unanimously. A second reading on the
ordinance change will be heard in two weeks.

"The drug court is a positive idea," said Supervisor Robin Williamson.