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County to use new tool in collecting child support

Wednesday, September 8, 2010
By JARED JERNAGAN, Assistant Editor

GREENCASTLE -- Putnam County will soon be utilizing a new tool in the fight to collect child support payments.

Title IV D Child Support Director Beth Ross and Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter told the Putnam County Commissioners about the new program at Tuesday morning's meeting.

Many of the people currently owing child support in the county are not trying to avoid paying, they simply cannot find jobs. The problems include lack of education and lack of knowledge about searching for jobs.

"Many of these people don't know how to apply for jobs; they don't know how to get a GED," Bookwalter said.

The new program will be a nine-week class in which the participants will learn about how to pursue further education as well as where and how to apply for jobs.

Bookwalter pointed out that many of the offenders have a background in construction, an industry hit especially hard in recent years.

"There are jobs out there. They aren't necessarily the ones they want; they don't have freedom. But when you have kids, you have to pay your support," Bookwalter said.

Bookwalter and Ross see the classes as a more productive way of fighting the deadbeat parent problem than simply putting people in jail, where they remain unable to pay. Bookwalter hopes the judges will incorporate the classes into the court orders for people struggling to pay support.

"We don't just want to lock people up; we want to get them to pay their support," Bookwalter said.

The commissioners voted to allow the class to be held in the commissioners courtroom. Two nine-week sessions will be offered each year.

Maintenance work on some of the stones of the Putnam County Courthouse will soon be done at minimal cost to the county.

Following an Aug. 9 inspection, County Planner Kim Hyten received a letter from Karr Tuckpointing that work done on the stones in 2005 was not completed. Three stones slated to be replaced were not replaced.

Hyten informed the commissioners that the company intends to replace the stones as well as patching all defective stone on the building at no cost to the county.

The only cost to the county will be the rental of a cherry picker for lifting the stones in place.

While the commissioners wanted to know how much a cherry picker will cost, they were impressed at the company's commitment to its customer.

"I think this is fantastic that they want to come back and correct these when it wasn't in the original contract," Commissioner Jim Baird said.

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  • At least they are trying something new. I do hope the program works for some people. However, I disagree with the part that says "Many of the people currently owing child support in the county are not trying to avoid paying, they simply cannot find jobs."

    Whatever. They cannot find jobs because they aren't looking or simply because they have too much pride to take a minimum wage job. Trust me, I know that tons of parents that have to pay support, pay too much. I understand that. But seriously folks, let's get real here.

    Has anyone else noticed how "child support" fixes come along in an election year??? How about working on it all the time instead of a quick fix to get attention???

    -- Posted by mom144 on Wed, Sep 8, 2010, at 10:34 AM

  • "Many of the people currently owing child support in the county are not trying to avoid paying, they simply cannot find jobs. The problems include lack of education and lack of knowledge about searching for jobs."

    "Bookwalter pointed out that many of the offenders have a background in construction, an industry hit especially hard in recent years."

    If these people "are not trying to avoid paying, they simply cannot find jobs", why are they being considered "offenders"?

    This is typical of the government bureaucrat's mindset. They are targeting individuals or easily ascertainable members of a group and calling them derisive names like "deadbeat dads" and then punishing them for non-crimes. This is what is known as an unconstitutional Bill of Attainder or Bills of Pains & Penalties which were outlawed because the British were using them against the colonies. We have brought this back, along with the debtor's prisons. Again, the whole child support industry and ideology emanates from communist-marxist doctrine. Child support law comes from Soviet Family Law, Article 81.

    Given that our public officials have taken oaths to uphold, defend and support the US and state constitutions, by supporting Marxist ideology and converting it into tyrannical laws, are in violations of their oaths of office--which is felony Official Misconduct, an impeachable offense, and treasonous offenses.

    -- Posted by Dadzrites on Wed, Sep 8, 2010, at 11:12 AM

  • Who will be paying for the classes? If they can't pay child support, can they pay for a class? Or will the taxpayers be picking up that tab?

    -- Posted by purduegrad on Wed, Sep 8, 2010, at 11:57 AM

  • Im wondering how many deadbeats will use this as an excuse. I cant find a job! I know things are bad out there but some dont want to pay their support and will use this class as an excuse. Im sorry but when a parent dont even want to be in the childrens lives nor pay support I think there should be jail time. I believe this will be a waste of time for all involved. Im sure this will be the excuse my ex uses AGAIN! like he has for 4 years now. So I see how my next court date will go...Take a class...another slap on his hand!

    -- Posted by karma54 on Wed, Sep 8, 2010, at 2:39 PM

  • This is good and bad at the same time. The good is that there probably actually some who have always paid, but at the moment they are unable, and any sort of extended education would be great for them. I get that, but unfortunatley there are too many that wouldn't pay even if they had a job. I also agree with purduegrad, who be paying for the classes???? I think that part of the class should be to evaluate the custody agreement. Is the parent paying too much/not enough? Also, is the custodial parent following the law as well. I.E. withholding visitation due to lack of child support payment, which is against the law.

    There are many factors that affect one's ability or motives to pay child support. I think that if they are going to do this then they need to separate "offenders" from parents experiencing economic hardships... Offenders can take their classes while in jail as far as I'm concerned.

    Believe me I have personally been effected by so called "child support offenders" directly and indirectly. I have always tried to keep an open mind, but I think these offenders should prosecuted to the full limits of the law. Deadbeat parents are just that, deadbeats. They will either take the right road or be jailbirds there entire lives. Excuses...Excuses....

    -- Posted by ynm_gop on Wed, Sep 8, 2010, at 3:52 PM

  • Maybe it would be beneficial if both custodial parents and noncustodial parents took a class on good oldfashioned family values. In the past, divorce was the cause of family seperation and child support. Now, it is simply the result of too many babies being born out of wedlock, which usually results in the mother seeking Title IV benefits. Women in our country are perfectly happy to take some quick government money at the father's expense and then demand he take care of all of their financial needs as well. In reality we have Daddy State and Daddy taking care of these women, the child are just used as a tool. This is not always the case because there are some men who have custody of their children, and there are some women who do not abuse the system. However, if we really took a good, hard look at how the majority of people are utilizing this system, we would see that it is infact being abused. United States= country with no family values!

    -- Posted by adfan211 on Thu, Sep 9, 2010, at 9:28 AM

  • My husband pays way too much to his ex wife in child support.She is a women that definitely abuses the system! It is very irrating to know that my husband is not only paying her to help support the child they have but also paying all her bills, come on there has to be a limit to how much a man should have to pay for one child. When his support is more than our house payment and some utilities combined this is a major problem! I love though how these ungrateful women try to put their exes in jail for not paying support but dont stop to think that hey if they are put in jail i still will not be getting support. Do i think its right for a father not to take care of their child, no absolutely not, but if they are making an effort and contributing something, shouldn't that be enough? Put yourself in the childs shoes, im pretty sure a 7 year old would rather have their father in their life then to be put in jail for not paying support. But then again you have these mothers that are the custodial parent and brainwash their children to think that their fathers are deadbeats, and pieces of crap. My husband and I have 2 children together, and heaven for bid we ever split up but if so, i can honeslty say as long as he is trying to a part of our childrens lives and making some attempt to help support them, i will not be a mother who pushes the jail issue or more child support issue. I believe this is part of what is wrong w/todays society is that these custodial mothers care more about getting money from their exes then what is in best interest for the child. I'm not saying this is the case in every situation but definitely in my husbands situation with his ex!

    -- Posted by mom212008 on Thu, Sep 9, 2010, at 12:24 PM
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