Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Criminal Justice Treatment Courts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves full‑time probation officer to start veterans/drug treatment courts; controller to identify funding
Summary
The Montcalm County Board voted to make Mikaela Sattler a full‑time probation officer to develop and run specialty treatment courts (veterans and drug courts). The board approved the position and directed the controller to identify funding, with possible use of opioid or marijuana settlement funds; cost without insurance noted as $65,590.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 22 approved making district court probation officer Mikaela Sattler a full‑time employee and authorized her to lead development of veterans and problem‑solving drug courts in the county.
“I’m asking for an investment, one that delivers measurable returns in public safety, family stability, cost savings, and community well‑being,” said Mikaela Sattler, speaking to the commissioners about the proposed full‑time role and the work required to build specialty courts.
Sattler described the role as encompassing multiple responsibilities — probation officer, case manager, program coordinator, grant administrator and mentor coordinator — and said the work would include building program infrastructure, screening participants through a “rigorous multistep process,” and securing treatment and services. She said the drug and veterans treatment courts are “highly structured evidence‑based programs” that require collaboration among multiple systems.
Judge Eggleston and several commissioners spoke in support of the proposal during a lengthy discussion about timing and budget. Commissioner Johnson described the courts as “a long time coming” and said Sattler is a “rock star.” Several commissioners raised concerns about the timing because the county’s budget was recently finalized.
The county controller provided cost details during the meeting: the estimated county cost without insurance was $65,590. The veterans‑court grant already awarded to the office is $10,000; the controller said that amount has been and will continue to be applied toward wages in the near term. The controller also reported cumulative marijuana revenue received by the county since September 2020 of $1,389,000 with $935,006.68 earmarked or spent to date, leaving a fund balance cited in the meeting. Board members discussed the possibility of using opioid settlement funds or marijuana‑related revenue to support the position short term.
Vice Chairman Peterson and other commissioners noted timing concerns but moved a motion supporting the judge’s request to make Mikaela Sattler a full‑time probation officer to oversee creation of the specialty courts, and instructed the controller to determine the funding source. The motion carried.
Commissioners asked for a one‑year progress update; Sattler said she would provide reports and welcomed site visits to the program. The board set the effective date to align with grant and payroll timing; Sattler stated the veterans grant runs through Sept. 30 and that Oct. 1 would be the simplest start date to align with existing grant coverage.
