Posted on November 25, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Council members are reviewing four options in an effort to save money on the 2013 Starke County Justice Center bond 2013 repayment.
The county currently pays $1,070,000 annually on the $14 million bonds that financed the Starke County Justice Center construction project.
Todd Samuelson from Baker Tilly explained that the council could approve an early redemption feature to refinance with a lower interest rate and pay off the bonds in 2032, or 18 months early, with a savings of nearly $9,000.
“There is a technique that can be done where a new set of bonds would be issued in advance of that call date,” stated Samuelson. “The proceeds of that bond issue would be invested or put into an escrow account and then the holders of those bonds would be paid off at that time.”
The new bonds would be sold at a taxable rate rather than a non-taxable rate.
Other options include issuing new bonds to refinance or pay off the old bond and reduce the annual payment to save $20,000 annually, lift the debt service reserve with cash and fund with an insurance policy for $38,000 with a savings of $110,000 with the current interest levels, and refinance bonds but generate $1.2 million in cash to be used for facility updates at the jail.
With any change, it’s recommended that the cash reserve be placed with a surety insurance policy.
The council agreed to move forward to move the legal process forward to get the process started and make a formal decision in a future meeting as interest rates may be favorable in a few months.
Showing posts with label Starke Co. Justice Center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Starke Co. Justice Center. Show all posts
Monday, November 25, 2019
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Starke County Officials Review Paperwork to Potentially Refinance Jail Bonds
Posted on September 17, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Representatives from financial firm Baker Tilly presented bond refinancing information to the Starke County Council and Commissioners Monday night as the county has an opportunity to possibly save money on the 2013 jail bond repayment.
The county currently pays $1,070,000 annually on the $14 million bonds that financed the Starke County Justice Center construction project.
There were several cost-saving scenarios given to the county. The interest rates are lower which would free up annual cash flow. If the county decided to refund the bonds and keep the payments where they are, about $1.5 million would be generated in cash.
The current interest rate is about 3 percent and the rate would drop to 1.6 percent if the decision is made to proceed.
The bonds go through the year 2034.
The council members and commissioners took the information under advisement to take a closer look at what was presented. Council President Dave Pearman asked the Baker Tilly representatives to come up with a shorter repayment term just for another choice for the county leaders to consider to ensure they make the right, informed choice.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Representatives from financial firm Baker Tilly presented bond refinancing information to the Starke County Council and Commissioners Monday night as the county has an opportunity to possibly save money on the 2013 jail bond repayment.
The county currently pays $1,070,000 annually on the $14 million bonds that financed the Starke County Justice Center construction project.
There were several cost-saving scenarios given to the county. The interest rates are lower which would free up annual cash flow. If the county decided to refund the bonds and keep the payments where they are, about $1.5 million would be generated in cash.
The current interest rate is about 3 percent and the rate would drop to 1.6 percent if the decision is made to proceed.
The bonds go through the year 2034.
The council members and commissioners took the information under advisement to take a closer look at what was presented. Council President Dave Pearman asked the Baker Tilly representatives to come up with a shorter repayment term just for another choice for the county leaders to consider to ensure they make the right, informed choice.
Friday, June 28, 2019
Starke County F.A.R.M to Host June Sale This Saturday
Posted on June 28, 2019
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County F.A.R.M. program has a variety of new items for the community to check out during their June sale this Saturday.
The F.A.R.M. participants have been busy making one-of-kind items and harvesting produce and plants from the garden throughout the month. Their June event will be held at the Starke County Justice Center tomorrow and will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Bird houses, furniture, barn wood shelving, cabinets and other reclaimed wood projects will be on display and available for purchase.
According to Warden Phil Cherry, people will also be able to find a nice selection of potted flowers and hanging baskets as well as planters made in the wood shop that are full of flowers and tomato plants that are already blooming.
A limited supply of fresh strawberries, onions, cabbage and green beans will be on sale as well.
While gardening and crafting are important elements of the Fostering a Recovery Mentality Program, trustees also attend classes while in the facility.
Just this month, several inmates graduated from a 14-week substance abuse treatment course and another group completed a horticulture class.
The F.A.R.M.’s impact has also been reaching across county lines. On their social media site, officials shared that Starke County’s trustees recently had a chance to collaborate with inmates from Jasper County’s gardening program.
To learn more about the program and to get a sneak peek at some of the items you’ll find at tomorrow’s sale, visit the Starke County FARM FB page.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County F.A.R.M. program has a variety of new items for the community to check out during their June sale this Saturday.
The F.A.R.M. participants have been busy making one-of-kind items and harvesting produce and plants from the garden throughout the month. Their June event will be held at the Starke County Justice Center tomorrow and will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Bird houses, furniture, barn wood shelving, cabinets and other reclaimed wood projects will be on display and available for purchase.
According to Warden Phil Cherry, people will also be able to find a nice selection of potted flowers and hanging baskets as well as planters made in the wood shop that are full of flowers and tomato plants that are already blooming.
A limited supply of fresh strawberries, onions, cabbage and green beans will be on sale as well.
While gardening and crafting are important elements of the Fostering a Recovery Mentality Program, trustees also attend classes while in the facility.
Just this month, several inmates graduated from a 14-week substance abuse treatment course and another group completed a horticulture class.
The F.A.R.M.’s impact has also been reaching across county lines. On their social media site, officials shared that Starke County’s trustees recently had a chance to collaborate with inmates from Jasper County’s gardening program.
To learn more about the program and to get a sneak peek at some of the items you’ll find at tomorrow’s sale, visit the Starke County FARM FB page.
Friday, May 10, 2019
The First Starke County F.A.R.M. Sale of the Year is This Saturday!
Posted on May 10, 2019
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County Justice Center will host their first F.A.R.M. Sale of the year this weekend, just in time for you to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11th.
According to Warden Phill Cherry, there will be some hand-crafted lawn furniture and other reclaimed wood projects available as well as a limited supply of vegetable plants and flowers.
All the funds raised from the sale of these items goes right back into the facility to help fund the jail’s therapeutic community program.
Over the last few years, the Fostering a Recovery Mentality (F.A.R.M) Program has expanded the opportunities that are available to trustees at the facility.
It all began with the chance to get out and garden, next came painting projects and community events. Now a vocational program is being offered that teaches basic woodworking and math skills. A substance abuse class is also held in conjunction with these hands-on opportunities.
To get a sneak peek at what you can expect to see at the Justice Center on Saturday, visit the Starke County F.A.R.M. Facebook Page.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County Justice Center will host their first F.A.R.M. Sale of the year this weekend, just in time for you to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11th.
According to Warden Phill Cherry, there will be some hand-crafted lawn furniture and other reclaimed wood projects available as well as a limited supply of vegetable plants and flowers.
All the funds raised from the sale of these items goes right back into the facility to help fund the jail’s therapeutic community program.
Over the last few years, the Fostering a Recovery Mentality (F.A.R.M) Program has expanded the opportunities that are available to trustees at the facility.
It all began with the chance to get out and garden, next came painting projects and community events. Now a vocational program is being offered that teaches basic woodworking and math skills. A substance abuse class is also held in conjunction with these hands-on opportunities.
To get a sneak peek at what you can expect to see at the Justice Center on Saturday, visit the Starke County F.A.R.M. Facebook Page.
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
Group of Starke County Justice Center Trustees to Begin Welding Program Today
Posted on April 16, 2019
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
Starting today, a handful of Starke County Justice Center trustees will be attending 12 weeks of welding training, with the opportunity to receive certification.
Program officials who were interviewed about this opportunity indicated that the training is being offered to not only give offenders a chance to prove their commitment to recovery and rehabilitation, but to also benefit the community.
In addition to providing the industry with the more workers, the program will give incarcerated individuals access to the tools they’ll need to support themselves upon their release. This will in turn help them become active and productive members of society.
Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning (SCILL) Director Ron Gifford shared that Manitex Sabre, a company located across the street from the Justice Center, will be supplying the equipment and site.
Gifford explained, “Classes will meet from 4 to 8 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This instruction will be similar to what are adult classes are like, as far as duration and content, so a total of 96 hours of training.”
Director Gifford mentioned that the SCILL Center will pay the instructor and provide participants with the gear and tools they’ll need to complete the training.
A grant from Kankakee Valley REMC Round Up will be utilized to pay for the gear and Gifford said he’s meeting with Community Foundation reps later this month to discuss another potential funding opportunity.
Multiple people involved with the program’s development noted that this will likely cut down on recidivism rates significantly by providing trustees with career-ready skills, subsequently reducing their willingness to re-enter a life of crime.
Jail Commander Nathan Caudill touched on the typical experience for a released inmate that officials attempting to change with this program.
He shared, “These guys get out of a facility like this where they’ve had some sort of programming for rehabilitation and substance abuse issues, which is probably 80-90% of the offenders that we deal with,”
Caudill continued, “and there’s that stigma that they’ve been incarcerated, it’s tough for them to land decent jobs so they can’t get a job and puts them right back to square one.”
Sheriff Bill Dulin mentioned that the welding training will give inmates a chance to bring the behavior modification skills learned through substance abuse classes and other facility programs into a real world situation.
While discussions of this type of vocational program have been happening for about two years, it was finally made possible through the collective efforts of multiple agencies in the county.
Key players included officials from the SCILL Center and Starke County Economic Development Foundation, the Sheriff’s Department and Justice Center, and the Court System including the judge, Community Corrections and Pretrial Services.
SCEDF Executive Director Larry Wickert mentioned the monitored onsite training at Manitex Sabre will be held in an area that’s separate from the general population to avoid any concerns of contraband making its way into the Justice Center.
When asked about the program, Starke County Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall shared the goal is to transition inmates from incarceration to employment.
While every case will be different for each individual, the completion of this program will be considered and weigh favorably the next time they come before the Judge. Judge Hall mentioned that home detention, probation and other arrangments will be considered depending on the particular person and their case.
When it comes to potential repercussions for inmates who misbehave during the training, the instructor and jail staff have the authority to remove an inmate who causes any problems.
Sheriff Dulin added that while nothing has been set in stone, there have be discussions about possibly developing a policy that would require a program participant to pay back restitution if they reoffend within a certain amount of time after receiving this training and being released.
However, program officials explained that the six people who were selected for this were chosen due to their cooperation, responsibility and active participation in the facility’s ongoing programs. In other words, those who were perceived to have a high-risk level for re-offending were not given this opportunity.
Looking down the line, Sheriff Dulin said the possibility of offering a job fair at the Justice Center is also being considered. He indicated that this would be away for those who may not be looking to get into the welding field to gain similar access to resources for a job they are interested in pursuing.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
Starting today, a handful of Starke County Justice Center trustees will be attending 12 weeks of welding training, with the opportunity to receive certification.
Program officials who were interviewed about this opportunity indicated that the training is being offered to not only give offenders a chance to prove their commitment to recovery and rehabilitation, but to also benefit the community.
In addition to providing the industry with the more workers, the program will give incarcerated individuals access to the tools they’ll need to support themselves upon their release. This will in turn help them become active and productive members of society.
Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning (SCILL) Director Ron Gifford shared that Manitex Sabre, a company located across the street from the Justice Center, will be supplying the equipment and site.
Gifford explained, “Classes will meet from 4 to 8 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This instruction will be similar to what are adult classes are like, as far as duration and content, so a total of 96 hours of training.”
Director Gifford mentioned that the SCILL Center will pay the instructor and provide participants with the gear and tools they’ll need to complete the training.
A grant from Kankakee Valley REMC Round Up will be utilized to pay for the gear and Gifford said he’s meeting with Community Foundation reps later this month to discuss another potential funding opportunity.
Multiple people involved with the program’s development noted that this will likely cut down on recidivism rates significantly by providing trustees with career-ready skills, subsequently reducing their willingness to re-enter a life of crime.
Jail Commander Nathan Caudill touched on the typical experience for a released inmate that officials attempting to change with this program.
He shared, “These guys get out of a facility like this where they’ve had some sort of programming for rehabilitation and substance abuse issues, which is probably 80-90% of the offenders that we deal with,”
Caudill continued, “and there’s that stigma that they’ve been incarcerated, it’s tough for them to land decent jobs so they can’t get a job and puts them right back to square one.”
Sheriff Bill Dulin mentioned that the welding training will give inmates a chance to bring the behavior modification skills learned through substance abuse classes and other facility programs into a real world situation.
While discussions of this type of vocational program have been happening for about two years, it was finally made possible through the collective efforts of multiple agencies in the county.
Key players included officials from the SCILL Center and Starke County Economic Development Foundation, the Sheriff’s Department and Justice Center, and the Court System including the judge, Community Corrections and Pretrial Services.
SCEDF Executive Director Larry Wickert mentioned the monitored onsite training at Manitex Sabre will be held in an area that’s separate from the general population to avoid any concerns of contraband making its way into the Justice Center.
When asked about the program, Starke County Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall shared the goal is to transition inmates from incarceration to employment.
While every case will be different for each individual, the completion of this program will be considered and weigh favorably the next time they come before the Judge. Judge Hall mentioned that home detention, probation and other arrangments will be considered depending on the particular person and their case.
When it comes to potential repercussions for inmates who misbehave during the training, the instructor and jail staff have the authority to remove an inmate who causes any problems.
Sheriff Dulin added that while nothing has been set in stone, there have be discussions about possibly developing a policy that would require a program participant to pay back restitution if they reoffend within a certain amount of time after receiving this training and being released.
However, program officials explained that the six people who were selected for this were chosen due to their cooperation, responsibility and active participation in the facility’s ongoing programs. In other words, those who were perceived to have a high-risk level for re-offending were not given this opportunity.
Looking down the line, Sheriff Dulin said the possibility of offering a job fair at the Justice Center is also being considered. He indicated that this would be away for those who may not be looking to get into the welding field to gain similar access to resources for a job they are interested in pursuing.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Starke County Jail Updates Inmate Information System
Posted on March 11, 2019
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Justice Center officials are preparing for a launch of new software that will assist the staff in updating information in an upgraded computer system.
The new system, Computer Aided Dispatch, or CAD, will be live soon which will allow officers to have easier access to information to compile reports and to submit data. Along with the CAD system, a new jail inmate system received an update to the Jailtracker system.
The change in systems has caused a bit of confusion to members of the public, but Starke County IT Director Richard Franks says the upgrade is a needed step.
“This upgrade has a deep impact on the security of the jail and its residents as well as the rest of the county,” stated Franks. “This also plays a very big role on the accuracy of data that is kept on an inmate. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office has the county inmate roster available as a way for the public to conveniently get information on who is being housed in the jail and does not really have to have that option available at all.”
To access the Jailtracker site, click here.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
Starke County Justice Center officials are preparing for a launch of new software that will assist the staff in updating information in an upgraded computer system.
The new system, Computer Aided Dispatch, or CAD, will be live soon which will allow officers to have easier access to information to compile reports and to submit data. Along with the CAD system, a new jail inmate system received an update to the Jailtracker system.
The change in systems has caused a bit of confusion to members of the public, but Starke County IT Director Richard Franks says the upgrade is a needed step.
“This upgrade has a deep impact on the security of the jail and its residents as well as the rest of the county,” stated Franks. “This also plays a very big role on the accuracy of data that is kept on an inmate. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office has the county inmate roster available as a way for the public to conveniently get information on who is being housed in the jail and does not really have to have that option available at all.”
To access the Jailtracker site, click here.
Friday, February 8, 2019
Starke County SWAT to Hold Fundraising Banquet in April
Posted on February 8, 2019
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team will host a fundraising banquet later this year.
The event will be held at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox from 5 p.m. until midnight on Saturday, April 20th.
Tickets can be bought for $25 each. According to event organizers, that gives you access to the buffet dinner and covers the cost of two alcoholic beverages or soft drinks. The banquet is limited to individuals 21 and up.
The event will also feature a cash bar, a DJ and a silent auction with various items that will begin at 8 p.m.
Gun raffles for a Henry-Lever Action 30/30 and a Henry-Lever Action .22 Caliber will take place during the event.
Funds collected will be used to purchase some much needed equipment. This will be the first event of its kind but officials have indicated they’re hoping to make this an annual occurrence.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Starke County Justice Center or by contacting any Starke County police officer. You can also buy them online through EventGroove.com.
For more information, visit the SWAT Fundraiser event page or call the Sheriff’s Office at 574-772-3771.
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team will host a fundraising banquet later this year.
The event will be held at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox from 5 p.m. until midnight on Saturday, April 20th.
Tickets can be bought for $25 each. According to event organizers, that gives you access to the buffet dinner and covers the cost of two alcoholic beverages or soft drinks. The banquet is limited to individuals 21 and up.
The event will also feature a cash bar, a DJ and a silent auction with various items that will begin at 8 p.m.
Gun raffles for a Henry-Lever Action 30/30 and a Henry-Lever Action .22 Caliber will take place during the event.
Funds collected will be used to purchase some much needed equipment. This will be the first event of its kind but officials have indicated they’re hoping to make this an annual occurrence.
Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Starke County Justice Center or by contacting any Starke County police officer. You can also buy them online through EventGroove.com.
For more information, visit the SWAT Fundraiser event page or call the Sheriff’s Office at 574-772-3771.
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