Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada is declining to release funds to support the Community Corrections program. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

Two Republican lawmakers are hitting a wall in negotiations with the Department of Correction to free up money for the revival of an intensive probation program coping with a 15% funding cut.

Sens. Richard Briggs of Knoxville and Ed Jackson of Jackson want the Department of Correction to release money from a $14 million fund balance but can’t get Correction Commissioner Frank Strada to budge.

“We pretty much met the end of the road,” Briggs said Wednesday, adding, “We really don’t know where else to turn.”

Briggs sent a letter to Strada in June detailing the impact of a $160,000 budget reduction on the Communi

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