Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jan 2003
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2003 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: BENITA Y. WILLIAMS

COUNTY LEGISLATOR DEFENDS DRUG-TREATMENT CONTRACT

Jackson County Legislator Dan Tarwater said Thursday that he would not ask 
to rescind a drug-treatment contract that has sparked a lawsuit against him 
and the County Legislature.

"If someone sues you over something and you back down, then everyone will 
sue you over everything," said Tarwater, head of the Legislature's 
anti-drug committee.

In its lawsuit, County Court Services Inc., a current contractor, alleges 
that the Legislature illegally awarded a new contract to Addiction Recovery 
Services Inc. in November. County records show that outside bid evaluators 
gave Addiction Recovery's bid failing marks and gave high marks to one from 
County Court Services.

Tarwater said Addiction Recovery's bid was $42,000 lower than County Court 
Services. He denied that the $628,000 contract was based on favoritism.

Legislator Bill Petrie also stood by the Addiction Recovery contract.

"I think that the contract the Legislature decided on was fair," Petrie said.

The treatment program is part of the county's Drug Court and serves an 
average of 400 clients at any given time. Drug charges are dropped if 
defendants in the program complete a year or more of drug treatment, job 
counseling and other requirements.

The Drug Court is part of Jackson County's anti-drug program, which is 
funded by a quarter-cent sales tax that generates about $18 million 
annually for drug prevention, treatment and law enforcement.

The contract with Addiction Recovery was put on hold Tuesday when County 
Executive Katheryn Shields issued an emergency purchase order for $44,500 
to continue paying County Court Services.

Thomas Schweich, attorney for County Court Services, sent a letter Thursday 
to the Legislature's attorney, Kenneth McClain, urging officials to 
reconsider the bid award to Addiction Recovery.

McClain said he would discuss the lawsuit with his clients in closed 
session Monday. It was not clear whether the contract would be discussed 
during the public part of the meeting. Some legislators said they would 
like to revisit the issue.

"It makes sense to me to extend the current contract (with County Court 
Services) for a little longer and look at both sides' proposals or possibly 
go out for rebids," legislator Scott Burnett said.

Legislator Bob Spence agreed.

"Certainly, on the surface, it looks like it was not the right decision," 
Spence said.

Spence introduced a resolution in December to re-award the contract to 
County Court Services. The resolution was not seconded and died.

"My instinct was to rescind the contract and give it to CCS, but I really 
wanted the whole thing brought up in committee for more discussion," Spence 
said.

Legislator Dennis Waits said no action should be taken until new 
legislators Robert Stringfield and Rhonda Shoemaker, who were sworn in 
Thursday, could study the issue.

"You have to be fair," Stringfield said. "This is very important. You are 
talking about the drug tax and about people getting off drugs and staying 
out of jail."
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