Carbon County acted on two motions last week to upgrade court programs.

The commissioners, in a 2-1 vote, approved an award of funding in the amount of $250,000 from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency for adult probation to hire two pretrial officers and a part-time sentencing guideline technician. The grant covers two years - $187,500 the first year and $62,500 the second year.

The board previously tabled the motion to get more information from the chief adult probation officer.

On Thursday, Commissioner Chris Lukasevich, who cast the sole no vote, said that he felt the county was being reactive instead of working on prevention with this grant.

He outlined that the county hired a pretrial officer in early 2020 and the results so far have been “negligible.”

He pointed to the Carbon County Correctional Facility as an example.

While there are 43 fewer inmates currently in the correctional facility from two years ago when the additional officer was hired, the annual budget has increased to $6.9 million, which represents a cost of $47,000 per inmate. The prison is also looking at increasing the budget another million for 2023.

Lukasevich said that the $250,000 grant does not represent the full cost to the county, citing that it would be another $685,000 commitment by the county due to salaries and benefit packages.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that he feels diversionary programs are working because it aims to cut down on recidivism at the prison.

He credited specialty courts, which held a graduation for four individuals on Wednesday, with helping to cut down on repeat offenders.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said he saw both sides of the argument.

Following the discussion, the board approved the motion, and the grant will run through Sept. 30, 2024.

In regards to the other previously tabled motion, the commissioners voted to approve an amendment to an agreement with Tyler Technologies of Plano, Texas, to replace the court case management system. The amendment adds an additional two use at an annual feel of $8,880 and changes the payment milestone billing in the amount of $122,080 due to the ongoing conversion that extended the go-live date to March 2023 as well as changed the allotted text messaging limits to 25,000 annually.

Following the vote, Lukasevich thanked the courts for coming back to the table on this discussion and reapportion $43,000 of 2022 funds and the register of wills for her allocation of funds to help support this system.

The system is used by the courts, clerk of courts and prothonotary’s office.