KINGWOOD — Preston County’s Community Corrections program will stay in its current space at least through the end of June 2023.
The Preston County Commission voted unanimously in favor of two leases, between the commission and Mountain State Holdings LLC. The first of which is from Jan. 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022. That will bring the lease in line with the fiscal year, County Administrator Kathy Mace said. The second lease is from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, with the option to renew.
The terms of the leases are the same, except they now include an agreement that 90 days notice be provided before parting ways, Mace said. Rent is $2,700 a month and includes plowing. Community Corrections is responsible for utilities.
Executive Director Mike Cochran said the building owner also agreed to redo the floors. The offices, lobby and conference room will be carpeted and any remaining concrete will be covered in epoxy. He said the deal was “very fair.”
The rent is $550 less than the current month, Cochran said. He told The Dominion Post they had considered moving to a building near the courthouse, but the landlord wanted them to remain in the building.
The lease agreements are “win-win,” as Community Corrections doesn’t have to move its stuff in the middle of winter and set up new infrastructure such as phones and internet.
Community Corrections is a sentencing option available in magistrate and circuit courts for low-risk offenders, Cochran said. They provide programs for rehabilitation and try to reduce recidivism rates.
Samantha Bolyard, training specialist, said, “We basically wanted to make sure that we had options for people who were involved in substance addiction that were leading to their criminal charges, so any criminal charges related to substance abuse. So we offer relapse prevention, referrals to inpatient detox, if needed, we are starting to offer parenting classes for individuals who have abuse and neglect cases.”
Community Corrections offers resources they might not otherwise have and tries to be a “one-stop shop” for community resources, Bolyard said.
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