The City-County Observer would like to announce Vanderburgh County Superior Court Judge Brett J. Niemeier as its 4th “Mole Award†Winner for the year 2013. Judge Niemeier was chosen by the “Mole Award†selection committee for his efforts in starting a plethora of not-for-profit programs in conjunction with the Vanderburgh County Court System. The programs founded by Judge Niemeier encompass a variety of situations for offenders and non-offenders alike that find themselves in situations out of their control. Some of these programs offer help to those with anger and substance abuse issues as well as youngsters having problems adapting to normal classrooms. Other programs involve offenders with local churches in an effort to provide them mentoring, as well as another specialized program, Family Connections, which is designed for teenagers and their parents who are dealing with the poor choices of their child. All of these programs were initiated by Judge Niemeier with absolutely no cost to the taxpayer.
Judge Niemeier is also well known for the soft spot he has for troubled and less fortunate children. Many of the programs listed above were started by Judge Niemeier in an effort to keep children out of the court system and previous young offenders from ever making their way back into the system. Judge Niemeier is also involved in many community service programs such as the Indiana Family and Juvenile Judges’ Board and the Regional Committee for the Department of Child Services. Judge Niemeier has received many awards in his career but none quite like the prestigious Robert J. Kinsey Award which is the highest honor in the State of Indiana for Juvenile Judges.
Judge Niemeier’s selection follows The Honorable Judge Wayne Trockman’s selection for his work on and off of the bench, the selection of Matthew Burkhart for his work in lobbying reformation of child labor laws in Indiana and the selection of Ben Trockman for his work in addressing the challenges facing special needs persons traveling by air. City-County Observer Chairnan of the Board Ron Cosby said of Niemeier, “Judge Niemeier’s reputation for community service and dedication to the job precedes him. The community owes him a debt of gratitude for the work he has done for our younger generations. We are pleased to honor Judge Niemeier with the 4th “Mole Award†of 2013.†The winners will be presented their “Mole Awards†during this year’s annual City-County Observer “Mole Awards†Banquet to be held at Casino Aztar in October.
