NEW ALBANY — It didn’t take long for three new Floyd County Council members to find out the complexities of dealing with budgets and incumbrances at the first meeting of the new year Tuesday. They also received a lesson in the needs of Floyd County courts in 2017 and beyond.
Floyd County Circuit Court Judge Terrence Cody laid out the needs and deficiencies in the courts and probation department in hopes of the council having the entire year to address some of the problems.
“I wanted to provide information for 2017 that need to be addressed by the council over the course of the year,” Cody said.
Cody, flanked by Judge Susan Orth, Judge James Hancock and Magistrate Julie Fessel Flanigan, addressed several issues.
He said the current Floyd County Alcohol and Drug program, which is certified by Indiana Court Services, needs $185,000 to $210,000 to be fully staffed. He said through the years program fees have been used to pay salaries which has left the program lacking for manuals, drug testing supplies and other equipment. He said there are usually an average of 150 to 200 people in the program.