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Grant County DWI prevention program warns of steep cuts; administrator asks commissioners for supplemental funding
Summary
Daniel Graves, administrator of the county DWI prevention program, told commissioners the program faces a likely funding shortfall after reduced state distribution tied to lower alcohol sales; he outlined possible cuts — including to weekend Corte Cantinas rides and treatment services — and asked the commission to consider supplementing the program this year.
Daniel Graves, administrator of Grant County’s DWI prevention program, told the county commission on April 7 that the program faces an unusual funding shortfall for fiscal 2027 after state distribution funds shrank with declining alcohol sales.
“Every county can request a dollar amount for any funding that they need,” Graves said. He described a statewide funding picture in which roughly $6.8 million was requested but only about $3.3 million was available to award, and said the county’s requested $104,000 will likely be reduced significantly.
The shortfall, Graves said, would force program cuts unless the commission supplements the budget. He described possible reductions to payroll and to treatment services that serve uninsured clients, and floated increasing probation fees from $30 to $40 per month to recoup revenue. Graves estimated program client counts are up (he cited roughly 187 clients in one count and later “about 240” as his highest recent figure) and said roughly half of the caseload consists of misdemeanor clients for whom the program receives no additional state distribution funding.
Commissioner Medina pressed on public‑safety consequences of cuts to the county’s Corte Cantinas weekend transport service — a local late‑night rides program that helps reduce impaired driving. “If Corte Cantinas was to continue, the county’s gonna have to look at stepping up and funding that in the future,” a county manager said during the discussion; Graves added that the program handled roughly 200 pickup/drop‑offs in one quarter and estimated about 600 rides year‑to‑date for certain services.
Commissioner Stevens asked what services probation fees cover; Graves said the program supervises court‑sentenced clients, performs random UAs, monitors sanctions and files violations for noncompliance. He also said treatment contracts are available to cover uninsured residents, noting partner providers with $15,000 pools for individual clients when Medicaid or insurance is not available.
Graves asked commissioners to consider a one‑time county supplement while he pursues legislative fixes to address the long‑term mismatch between misdemeanor referrals and funding. He said he expects final grant awards after the grant‑council meeting in mid‑April and estimated, based on preliminary figures, that the program could request roughly $45,000 in county support depending on outcomes.
Several commissioners requested more objective program data before deciding on county funding. The county manager asked Graves to supply law‑enforcement arrest statistics for DWI for the prior year and a one‑page summary of what state statute requires of local DWI programs; commissioners said those materials would help evaluate any supplement.
What’s next: Graves will report back with final grant award amounts after the state grant council’s decisions and provide the requested one‑page statutory summary and local enforcement statistics to the commission.
