DRUG, ALCOHOL FUNDS DENIED
County Council Turns Down Judge’s Request For Money To Start New
Programs

Vanderburgh County Council members denied a judge’s funding request
for new drug and alcohol recovery programs.

In a 5-2 vote Wednesday, the council denied all but $30,359 of a
$184,414 request by Circuit Court Judge Carl Heldt.

Heldt made the request to move the drug and alcohol program from the
SAFE House.

By law, Heldt could mandate the funding for the programs because the
county is required to supply funding for treatment programs.

"I don’t anticipate that. I’m not considering that right now," he
said.

The complex is under the control of Sheriff Brad Ellsworth. Ellsworth
and Heldt agreed the SAFE House programs and the drug and alcohol
programs should be in separate facilities.

"When these two programs started (drug and alcohol) they didn’t get
any county money," Councilwoman Betty Knight Smith said.

She said the programs were supported with the fees paid by people
sentenced to use them.

Smith said Heldt currently had $196,000 under his control and should
be able to raise $300,000 a year in users’ fees.

"I don’t care to fund it with general fund fees," Councilman Jim Raben
said.

"I think the program should support itself," Councilman Phil Hoy
said.

Republicans Hoy, Raben and Council President Curt Wortman, along with
Democrats Smith and Royce Sutton denied the request.

Republicans Ed Bassemeier and Lloyd Winnecke voted to fund the judge’s
program.

After the meeting Winnecke said he thought Heldt made a "good-faith
effort" by cutting his original funding request. He said the programs
are needed.

Bassemeier said he voted for the funds because Ellsworth and Heldt
have agreed the drug and alcohol programs should move from the SAFE
House.

Heldt said he was “disappointed but not discouraged” by the
vote.

"I wish it wouldn’t have been that way ... but we’re going to do
what’s right to ensure the courts have good programs to send their
people to," Heldt said.

Heldt said he was pleased the council members seemed to think his
proposal was a good one, despite the opposition to using sources other
than user fee monies to fund the programs. Heldt and the Adult
Probation Department under his guidance will now begin explore funding
alternatives.

The drug and alcohol programs will continue to run at the SAFE House
temporarily, Heldt said.

"These programs will continue to be operated by Circuit Court, but I
don’t think it can work under the present situation," he added.

Heldt said he and Ellsworth will continue to work with each other
while the programs continue operating out of the SAFE House.

"The next few months will be spent finding alternative funding sources
for the proposed programs," Heldt said. "It’s doubtful the programs can
be operated from user fees."

"This program is still a good one and hopefully we will find other
funding sources," he said.