Position created to combat drug abuse
WAYNESBURG – A new position was created within Greene County Court to address issues related to the increase in drug abuse.
Greene County Salary Board voted Thursday to create the position of “court assistant for community prevention and education” and voted to transfer Christine Gardner, a domestic relations enforcement officer, to the post.
Gardner worked with issues related to drug abuse on a limited basis as part of her current job duties, said Craig Wise, director of probation and interim director of domestic relations.
“Given the magnitude of the (drug) problem, we felt it was time to make it full-time,” Wise said.
Gardner will help develop and maintain links between the court and the community coalition that formed recently as a result of issues surrounding an increase in illegal drug use, Wise said. She will also investigate grant funding for programs to address drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues and coordinate community programs on drug prevention, he said.
The drug problem today impacts just about every aspect of the court system, Wise said. A person can’t pay child support, for instance, if money is spent to support a drug habit, he said.
There has been a realization in recent years that “you can’t arrest your way out of the problem,” Wise said. The approach has to be multi-faceted and include prevention, enforcement and treatment.
Gardner will be supervised by Sheila Rode, the district court administrator. She will be paid the same salary, $34,161 a year.
The salary board, which met following the commissioners’ meeting, consists of the three county commissioners, Blair Zimmerman, Dave Coder and Archie Trader, and Controller Dave Balint.
In other business, the board:
• Accepted the resignation of Elizabeth Menhart as the county’s tourism and communications director. Menhart, who has been with the county seven and a half years, accepted a position with a private employer.
• Approved the termination of Christina DeMarco-Breeden, who worked as a full-time assistant district attorney since December 2014.
• Promoted Ryan Koffler to a regular full-time captain in the sheriff’s office at a salary of $36,000 a year.
• Promoted Robert Patterson Jr. to the position of assistant director of bridges and facilities in the maintenance department at a salary of $42,238.56.
• Hired Jessica Sphar as a full-time deputy director in Children and Youth Services at $39,780.42.
• Accepted resignations in CYS of caseworkers Sarah Braddock and Robyn Marmie and caseworker supervisor Jennifer Johnson.
• Rehired Mara Lesko as casual tip staff in the court at $9.65 an hour.
• Promoted Darcy Bostich to full-time corrections officer at the jail at $15.02 an hour.
• Promoted Scott Teagarden to full-time van driver in the transportation department at $13.92 an hour.
• Accepted the resignation of Jaclyn Lutz, caseworker in human services.
• Hired Deshawnda Bissett as a social service aide in human services at $12.48 an hour; and hired Jennifer Lash, as a SAFE coordinator in human services at $29,587.28 a year.