HERE COMES THE JUDGE(S)!

To many the 2010 elections ushered in a new era of hope and many much needed changes in Liberty County, but the though full of potential some have grown anxious wondering when we will witness some leadership in facing all of the problems created by poor spending practices by past leadership and a hard economic times throughout the country. But help is more than on the way. Liberty Dispatch has uncovered it is here. Off the political radar usually and the last place most would think to look for help in solving a budget crisis, Liberty County ‘s economic leadership seems to be coming from the most unlikely of places – our three Judges.

With no fanfare and no press release, Liberty Dispatch would not even know of the work County Court –at –Law Judge Tommy Chambers, District Judge Chap Cain, and District Judge Mark Morefield are doing to save the county money. These three have looked a little outside of their boxes into related areas and found ways the county can save hundreds of thousands of dollars.

These savings are no pipe dream and they come with no strings attached. A review of the “Notice of Meeting of the District, County Court at Law, and County Judges and the Chief Supervision and Corrections Officer of Liberty County” unveils what our leadership seems to be moving towards. This public document shows that the Judges have their eyes on reducing the number of days indicted nonviolent low risk defendants spend in jail while awaiting trial. With two goals in mind, reduce jail expenses and keeping citizens safe, they have carefully analyzed our jail population.

The conclusion indicates savings will be dramatic. According to public record, each prisoner cost Liberty County $46.50 a day. The public record implies estimates of twenty to twenty five percent of our jail inmates would be waiting for trial under this plan. Some wearing bracelets and some under PR bonds, etc., but all off of the taxpayers backs. With an approximate average daily prisoner count of two hundred, the county would be housing between forty to fifty fewer prisoners a day at a yearly savings ranging between $678,900 and $848,625 a year!

In our effort to gather more information we found something very unusual among our attempts to talk to two of the three Judges involved in what could be the best news for taxpayers in many years. We found a reluctance to comment or take credit for these changes. We referred to the public record we had already obtained for information by one Judge. Rather than make sure his name was associated with the savings, the other Judge hinted that he would like us to wait to report the information until several months of savings had been documented.

These Judges are a far cry from the finger pointing, money spending politicians we have suffered under in recent years. It is encouraging to know we have some elected officials who are not just interested in a larger budget for their department. These proactive public servants looking outside of their own area and at the big picture have found a great way to save money. They found it and are enacting policies and procedures without any fanfare or finger pointing.

We salute them and County Judge Craig McNair for their energetic approach to taking a fresh look at how things have been done in this county. We taxpayers encourage more of this kind of leadership.