By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Christmas may not be until Dec. 25, but the 20th Judicial District's Juvenile Services All Star program received a pair of allocations during the Dec. 19 Barton County Commission meeting. The program, which is aimed at area elementary students to help prevent the use of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other illicit substances, was transferred its usual $3,000 from the county via a resolution. County Administrator Matt Patzner also asked for a transfer of $3,985 to the program from the Special Alcohol Fund.
"Per Kansas statute, Special Alcohol Funding shall only be expended for the purchase, establishment, maintenance, or expansion of services or programs whose principal purpose is alcoholism and drug abuse prevention and education," he told the commission.
That includes drug and alcohol abuse detox, intervention in alcohol and drug abuse, or treatment of persons who are already or may become alcoholics drug abusers. Commissioners asked if the funds be split with other programs like D.A.R.E. and those provided by Community Corrections. Commissioner Donna Zimmerman explained why that could be difficult.
"We used to receive quite a bit more funding than what we do now - at least $7-8,000 a few years back," she said. "The funds have dwindled because we just don't have that many establishments outside city limits that are selling. It's hard to divvy it up when the pot of money is so small."
County office buildings will be closed on Monday, Dec. 25, and Tuesday, Dec. 26 for Christmas. For that reason, the next Barton County Commission meeting will be Thursday, Dec. 28 at 9 a.m.