GREENCASTLE -- There is slightly more than $1.2 million sitting in the county's Children's Psychiatric Residential Treatment Services fund.
The fund was used for child services, such as removing a child from an unsafe home environment. Individual counties handled the fund until the spring of 2008, when the state took it over.
Judges Matthew Headley and Denny Bridges approached the county council during its meeting Tuesday to request the money be moved from the CPRTS fund and placed into the rainy day fund.
"It's a one-time deal," Headley said to council members.
But informing the council about the extra money was not the only reason Headley and Bridges were there.
"We are here for you to consider hiring a hearing officer for two years," said Headley.
A hearing officer acts as a judge would in a courtroom hearing -- except in this case, the atmosphere is more informal. The hearing officer is present not only to decide the outcome of the hearing, but also to ensure all parties receive a fair chance to present their cases.
The hearing officer here would take over cases, such as small claims, initial hearings and protective orders. Currently both judges do the work of one and three-fourths judge each, according to the Supreme Court standards. And most counties similar in size to Putnam have more than two courts.
The money to hire the hearing officer would come out of the more than $1 million left over from the CPRTS fund. Bridges and Headley both agreed the person hired would be a local lawyer.
"In two years, we would like to ask for a magistrate," said Headley.
After much discussion and several questions, council member Nancy Fogle made the motion to move the $1,286,000 into the rainy day fund. It was followed by a unanimous vote.
Elizabeth South, attorney for the county council, will draft the ordinance needed to outline the parameters of use for the rainy day fund.