It’s an effort that has benefitted taxpayers, Oakland County, the needy and more.
The community service garden in Independence Township allows first time and nonviolent offenders to opt to work in the 10-acre garden rather than serve jail time, while produce is donated to the Food Bank of Oakland County for those in need.
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, an official dedication ceremony was held with Clarkston’s 52-2 District Court Judges Michael Batchik and Dana Fortinberry, the forces behind the garden.
The idea for the garden came with Batchik when he was transferred to Clarkston from Novi’s 52-1 court due to redistricting in January.
There he had implemented the program in 1993, and since, Novi’s garden has produced thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables which has been donated to the Food Bank of Oakland County and various senior citizen facilities.
After Batchik suggested Clarkston begin a similar program, it was Fortinberry’s idea to utilize the long dormant historic McCord Farm on Pine Knob, owned by Independence Township.
Government officials were quick to approve the idea.
The garden became a reality in May. And, as of Sept. 5, 164 offenders have chosen to work the fields.
Participants pay $15 a day to work. Batchik said a five hour work day equates one jail day.
So far, 1,543 days have been ordered as an alternative to jail and 165 days ordered as a condition of sentencing, totaling 1,708 days total and 8,540 hours of work.
This has saved $128,069 in jail costs. (Inmate costs are at $78 a day.)
With the fee for participants, $12,495 has been collected, saving taxpayers more than $85,000 in jail days.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the jail has reached emergency overcrowding numbers this year and is at 99 percent capacity.
But with alternative programs like the community service garden, “We’re saving you as a taxpayer the money it would cost to build a new jail,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said.
“Not only are we saving jail days by having defendants work out here they can also maintain their jobs. It’s just a win-win situation all around,” Batchik said.
In addition, more than 3,000 pounds of produce has been harvested and donated through the Food Bank of Oakland County.
Of the garden effort, Patterson said, “This is the kind of work we can expect from these judges.”