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Probation director asks for county support, cites 87% completion rate and requests two $50K general‑fund supplements
Summary
Probation reported an 87% completion rate for supervised probation and asked the county for an additional lead officer paid by a $50,000 request from both the adult and juvenile general funds to stabilize operations and cover gaps in state funding.
La Paz County Probation described an 87% success rate for probationers completing supervision without revocation and outlined expanded juvenile diversion (Elevate) programs. Director Diana Blankenship said staffing shortages and recent resignations have left the office short‑handed and asked the Board to consider additional funding to remain operationally stable.
Blankenship asked the county to provide an additional $50,000 from both the adult general fund and the juvenile general fund to create a lead probation officer position to manage coverage, training and case continuity. She said probation fees are currently used to purchase equipment and to serve as the department contingency, but the state/county funding mix is complex and often leaves probation competing with statewide funding rules.
Why it matters: probation staff argued that smaller counties need competitive salaries and local flexibility because state funding formulas and maintenance‑of‑effort expectations do not always cover the full cost of probation services. The director pointed to the operational risk of losing experienced staff and said the requested funding would help recruit and retain qualified officers who can perform fieldwork and support court operations.
Board context: county finance and administration said they were surprised by the late personnel request and will continue discussions with the presiding judge and county attorney to clarify maintenance‑of‑effort obligations and the appropriate use of fee balances. The Board directed staff to research other counties’ approaches and to report back before final budget decisions.
Next step: county staff will consult the county attorney and AOC funding guidance, compare peer counties’ approaches, and return with recommendations on whether and how to fund the proposed lead officer.
