The DeKalb County Board is seeking a federal grant to establish a drug court program for the county’s drug offenders.

The county is continuing to work on starting an adult drug court. This would keep drug offenders out of the system and instead offer treatment, supporters said.

Other counties have been successful and DeKalb hopes to adopt a program similar to Winnebago, said board member Steve Slack. However, the county has to consider funding for this project.

The board decided to seek a $250,000 federal grant that would cover the court’s costs for three years. U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert will be influential in securing this grant, Slack said.

The court encouraged community members to contact Hastert in support of the grant for the adult drug court program.

The county would be responsible for funding it after three years, but plans on saving money through reduced time in court for drug offenders.

The county is also considering helping elderly who need affordable housing. Board members agreed to workshop ideas on opening a supportive-living facility across the street from the DeKalb County Health Facility, 2550 N. Annie Glidden Road.

The facility is expected to capture referrals from the DeKalb area as well as outlying counties because the closest assisted living facility is in Batavia, County Administrator Raymond Bockman said.

This provides an economic opportunity for the county without spending cash, he said. About 4 acres of land would be donated for the facility or sold outright to Pine View, an experienced operator of such housing facilities.

About 70 percent of the housing would be set aside for low-income, elderly households. The County Board and the operating board for the Health Department hope to meet in December, since the opportunity needs to be confirmed before the next County Board meeting in January, Bockman said.

The board also quickly adopted a resolution encouraging the use of the First Time Homebuyers Program. This program is funded through the Genesis Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps new home buyers afford down payments. Eighteen homes in the county were purchased last year through this program.