Rice County Treatment Court (RCTC) Judge Tom Neuville is retiring January 4, 2018 and RCTC has established a recovery fund in his honor.

The announcement was made Wednesday.

The fund will be used to establish a community monument to honor Judge Neuville.

Additional funds will be used to support the recovery of RCTC participants.

The former State Senator from Northfield led community partners in the development and implementation of the Rice County Treatment Court in 2013 and 2014.

He has served as the treatment court judge since July 1, 2014.

At the announcement of his retirement , one participant in the program said, "no other judge could care about us the way Judge Neuville does."

Nine participants have completed RCTC or "Commenced" their recovery in the community.

In a news release announcing the recovery fund it says, "An RCTC evaluation completed in June 2017 concluded that in treatment courts,"

"bad things are avoided and good things happen in all areas of life including adding to the cost benefit of RCTC."

The evaluation confirmed that treatment courts save taxpayer money.

Donations can be made online at www.northfieldhci.org/donate or mailed to Health Community Initiative.

I hope we can get the retiring judge to join us on our AM Minnesota program to talk about the treatment court with other people involved with it.

The Policy Team of RCTC includes Rice County Administration, Rice County Community Corrections, Rice County Social Services, Rice County Attorney's Office, Third Judicial District Public Defender's Office, Rice County Court Administration, Rice County Sheriff's Office, Faribault and Northfield Police Departments, Northfield Health Community Initiative, and local providers West Hills Lodge and Omada.

Judge Tom Neuville Sworn in January 2017 in Rice County Commissioners Room. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
Judge Tom Neuville Sworn in January 2017 in Rice County Commissioners Room. Photo by Gordy Kosfeld
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