The City of Indianola is one step closer to getting its municipal drug court.
Municipal Court Judge Kuykendall Horne-Murry informed the city’s Mayor and Aldermen on Monday night that the project has been awarded nearly $393,000 in Federal grant money that is to be disbursed over the next four years to aid in its operation.
Horne-Murry said she had originally requested $400,000 for the four-year period, but explained, “The grant that we received, the grant process was very competitive and there were only 88 awards made throughout the country.”
The city lawmakers formally accepted the grant and gave Horne-Murry permission to continue the process of implementing the court and also make a presentation to the State Intervention Courts Advisory Committee on October 25, where a request will be made for the state to contribute an added $50,000 to the project.
Horne-Murry told the group, “We’re going to spend the next two-and-a-half months getting prepared, and we’re in the process of getting certified by the state.”
She added that there are multiple conditions associated with the grants that have to be met.
“So, I will be very deliberate and meticulous and make sure that we do what we’re supposed to so that when we start in January we’ll be fully prepared to go forward,” she said.
The cash outlay from the state has not yet been awarded, but the judge is confidently assured that it will be. At the onset of the process, the city leaders agreed to provide a $25,000 match to the program as their investment.
According to Horne-Murry, the court would be held twice monthly on Fridays at 9 a.m., in the circuit courtroom on the second floor of the Sunflower County Courthouse. Potential participants would be identified either during their initial appearance at the county jail or police department and at Municipal Court on Tuesdays.
The drug court coordinator will then individually and privately assess the candidates.
The judge has also partnered with Life Help and Denton House in Greenwood plus the Gloria Darden Center in Greenville and according to her, a significant amount of the federal funds will be used to either provide residential in-patient treatment or extensive outpatient services with transportation provided.
Once the participants have completed the clean and sober phase of the court process. Horne-Murry said, “It is the intent of the drug court to partner with local churches, non-profit and civic organizations during the implementation phase of the program to address other needs.”
She categorized those needs as being educational and vocational, some of which will be addressed through the court’s association with Mississippi Delta Community College, including GED certification. Horne-Murry also named Families First as a partner that would provide counseling. Other agencies will be available to assist with housing, mental health services and more.
Horne-Murry verbalized her thanks to all who aided in the process especially to Mayor Steve Rosenthal and the City Aldermen. She also credits Dr. Adrian Brown of Brown and Associates for being instrumental in the drug court origination process. She said he has been on board from the beginning. “We wouldn’t be here without him,” she said.
In other business,
The city leaders also heard a presentation from Small Business Administration Public Affairs Specialist Liliana Tschanett on the availability of low-interest disaster relief loans for Sunflower County businesses and residents.
They also voted unanimously to upgrade the phone system so that emergency calls to the public works department will not be routed to the police department dispatchers. Alderman Gary Fratesi raised the issue.
A lingering discussion on overnight parking restrictions on certain streets still failed to have any action taken after Alderman Sam Brock revved up the conversation again.
The city fathers also voted to engage the city engineer to begin the process of seeking bids to improve drainage to a ditch that runs east and west just behind the residences on Gentry Drive. According to Rosenthal and City Inspector Elvis Pernell, the drainage pipe is nearly a foot and a half below the ditch.
After a nearly 10 minute discussion about the placement of cleanup dumpsters, the lawmakers voted to place the first one just off U.S. 49 near the public works department and erect a blind to hide it from public view.
During the discussion, Alderman Marvin Elder emphasized his rejection of any notion to placing a dumpster south of the railroad tracks.
Referencing what he called a “deplorable” site with regard to a prior placement on Garrard Avenue adjacent to Carver Elementary School, Elder said emphatically, “Whatever you do with a dumpster site or any other type site do not bring it cross that railroad south of Indianola for no reason at all.”
