Long County Juvenile Court Judge Linnie Darden told commissioners Tuesday that citizens review panel would help his court deliver justice to children.
Darden, along with Liberty County volunteer Vickie Cook, asked commissioners at their June meeting to establish a Judicial Citizens Review Panel to work with DFACS, in furnishing information to the court involving cases of neglect and depravation.
“We need people on this panel who are good judges of character,” the judge said.
According to Darden, there currently are 67 panels like this in Georgia. With an increasing caseload in Long County, a panel is now needed.
One example of a panel’s work, he said, is recommending when and if a child in foster care should be returned to their own home and family. Other areas where the panel might offer input are in adoption, parental rights and group home recommendation.
Cook said there currently are 30 cases in the county that a panel would review.
“We need strong individuals, who can remain objective on this panel,” she said.
Commissioner Mike McGowan said, “I think this is a great program and something we need to do.”
Darden also requested commissioners look into adjusting the budget for funding the juvenile court. The judge said funding is going into the superior court section of the budget, and requested that a juvenile court line item be established.
After a brief discussion, commissioners approved establishing an advisory panel, and told Darden the budget had already been approved for the upcoming year, but the budget request would be looked into.
In other business, Commissioner Charles Reddish, brought up the issue of establishing water supplies (dry hydrants) for fire protection throughout the county.
“With all the fires we have had lately, it is obvious we need to do all we can to help the firefighters with their job.” he said, adding, “These folks did a great job last month, and I know in my district they saved several homes, which were right in the middle of the fires.”
Commissioners decided that Reddish should get with Long/Ludowici Fire Chef Darrell Ballance to look at what it would take to set up more of these hydrants with a goal of having five in each district.
Also, commissioners accepted a bid of $35,000 to repair the Long County Courthouse roof, and approved repairing the county’s Beard’s Bluff boat landing.
The landing is in the northwest part of the county, and according to Reddish, the repairs should take about two weeks, once the work begins. He said the county will provide labor and equipment for the repair.
Darden, along with Liberty County volunteer Vickie Cook, asked commissioners at their June meeting to establish a Judicial Citizens Review Panel to work with DFACS, in furnishing information to the court involving cases of neglect and depravation.
“We need people on this panel who are good judges of character,” the judge said.
According to Darden, there currently are 67 panels like this in Georgia. With an increasing caseload in Long County, a panel is now needed.
One example of a panel’s work, he said, is recommending when and if a child in foster care should be returned to their own home and family. Other areas where the panel might offer input are in adoption, parental rights and group home recommendation.
Cook said there currently are 30 cases in the county that a panel would review.
“We need strong individuals, who can remain objective on this panel,” she said.
Commissioner Mike McGowan said, “I think this is a great program and something we need to do.”
Darden also requested commissioners look into adjusting the budget for funding the juvenile court. The judge said funding is going into the superior court section of the budget, and requested that a juvenile court line item be established.
After a brief discussion, commissioners approved establishing an advisory panel, and told Darden the budget had already been approved for the upcoming year, but the budget request would be looked into.
In other business, Commissioner Charles Reddish, brought up the issue of establishing water supplies (dry hydrants) for fire protection throughout the county.
“With all the fires we have had lately, it is obvious we need to do all we can to help the firefighters with their job.” he said, adding, “These folks did a great job last month, and I know in my district they saved several homes, which were right in the middle of the fires.”
Commissioners decided that Reddish should get with Long/Ludowici Fire Chef Darrell Ballance to look at what it would take to set up more of these hydrants with a goal of having five in each district.
Also, commissioners accepted a bid of $35,000 to repair the Long County Courthouse roof, and approved repairing the county’s Beard’s Bluff boat landing.
The landing is in the northwest part of the county, and according to Reddish, the repairs should take about two weeks, once the work begins. He said the county will provide labor and equipment for the repair.