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Local Community Corrections member resigns, criticizes county program coordination
Summary
Chris Dubois resigned from Community Corrections and told the board he was frustrated by lack of coordination among courts and County departments, saying promised programs stalled and that state grant funds were not being used effectively.
Chris Dubois of Battle Creek told the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 3 that he resigned from Community Corrections earlier that day and voiced sharp frustration with how the county manages reentry and corrections-related programs.
Dubois recalled an effort begun in December 2005 to launch a tether program that he estimated could have generated nearly $100,000. He said the program stalled because of a lack of buy-in from the courts and that interagency conflicts — between the Circuit Court, District Court, Community Corrections and the sheriff’s office — have hindered productive use of state funding. "Community Corrections receives a large grant from the state annually and literally does nothing with it," Dubois said, adding that the situation is "twisted" and that internal politics have prevented effective programs.
Dubois also described staff reductions at a federal contract center where he worked with the Department of Homeland Security and warned that relying on federal contracts alone is risky. He urged the board to pursue community programs to address the jail population and the loss of external funding.
The transcript records no board response to Dubois's remarks beyond his statements during Citizens' Time.
