NORCOR presents options; removing juvenile services could keep facility solvent, presenters say
Summary
NORCOR told Sherman County Court it cannot sustain current operations under existing funding and outlined options including removing juvenile services to remain open with staffing reductions, an option described as viable if revenue remains the same; contracting services was the costliest scenario.
Representatives from NORCOR presented Feb. 4 a set of scenarios intended to address a structural funding shortfall at the regional corrections and juvenile services center.
Presenters Nichole Biechler and Monica Morris outlined four options: continue current services (presenters said NORCOR "cannot continue as is; the funding just is not there to sustain itself even for one more year"), remove juvenile services to keep the adult facility open (with some position reductions if revenue remains constant), remove juvenile services and their funding (which presenters said would put NORCOR in the red immediately), or contract out most shared services (the costliest option identified). The presentation highlighted difficult tradeoffs between service continuity, staffing and cost.
NORCOR's suggested next steps included reporting back to county leadership, developing and vetting additional revenue models (including a taxing district), soliciting public feedback and coordinating with a cross‑functional team to produce decisions and timelines. County Court requested conversations with local juvenile director Amber DeGrange and Sheriff James Burgett to better understand local impacts and next steps.
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