Changes likely for Multi-County Juvenile System after Tuscarawas withdraws from system

CANTON TWP. – The Multi-County Juvenile Attention System (MCJAS) will likely see changes in 2023 after Tuscarawas County announced its intention to withdraw from the system at the end of the year. 

Stark County Commissioner Bill Smith said during a joint board of county commissioners meeting Tuesday that he and the other finance committee members will work through next year's budget to determine what changes are necessary.

"There's going to undoubtedly be potentially more changes next year to keep that budget number in line," Smith said. 

He said many different scenarios will need to be considered as Tuscarawas carries a "very large financial number" into the system. Specific changes were not discussed.

"We'll have to take a real hard look at it quickly," he said. 

MCJAS provides services for delinquent, unruly, dependent, neglected, and abused children referred by juvenile or family court judges. The system serves Stark, Wayne, Carroll and Columbiana counties. 

Tuscarawas has been a member of MCJAS since 1973. The county paid $1.4 million toward the operation in 2022. MCJAS's total budget for 2022 is $8.4 million. That amount is about $214,000 less than the system's 2021 budget.

Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger said it was a tough decision to withdraw. It came at the recommendation of Tuscarawas County Probate/Juvenile Judge Adam Wilgus. Metzger said Wilgus has a background in finance and determined it was not cost effective for Tuscarawas to remain in MCJAS. 

"In some ways, I have mixed feelings with this because for years I worked here in the district to try to maintain MCJAS as it was back in the 2000s ... but over time, circumstances have changed, and it had become very difficult on the financial side for us to continue," he said. 

Tuscarawas will start contracting detention services from Muskingum County next year. 

Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula said he was disappointed in Tuscarawas' decision.

He said when Stark County's sales tax issue failed in 2003, forcing the county to cut its budget by 25%, Stark officials were told they could not make cuts with MCJAS because it was not a Stark County agency. Now, that Stark's budget is in a better position, it's disappointing to see Tuscarawas leave, he said. 

MCJAS Superintendent James McKenzie said he and his team work to make the system as efficient as possible for all counties. 

"We are truly doing our best to make this cost effective for everybody," he said. 

As of Tuesday, there were 48 children in the system, McKenzie said. 

Reach Paige at 330-580-8577 or pmbennett@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @paigembenn.