Jefferson County Supervisors discuss opioid funds

FAIRFIELD – The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors discussed spending money on anti-drug educational materials during its meeting Monday, July 14.

Fairfield Public Library Director Alecs Schmidt-Mickunas addressed the board with a request for funds to purchase an educational board with information on illegal drugs and paraphernalia that would be hung at the library. He said it wouldn’t have to remain at the library, but could be lent to other institutions to display in whatever way they saw fit.

Money for this purchase would come from a fund created as part of an opioid settlement with drug store chains. According to Fairfield Mayor Connie Boyer, a member of the Opioid Committee formed in response to this settlement, Jefferson County will receive money for anti-drug programs for perhaps 15-17 years, though it’s not clear how much. The county supervisors are in charge of awarding the money, and Supervisor Susie Drish also represents the county on the Opioid Committee.

At Monday’s meeting, Drish and Supervisor Lee Dimmitt said they wanted more information on this educational board before allocating the money. Drish said she wanted to at least see a picture of it. Dimmitt said he doesn’t want to spend money on the board only for it to “collect dust in a closet.”

Schmidt-Mickunas said he understood their concerns, and remarked that law enforcement might already have similar educational materials. He and the supervisors agreed that he would gather more information on the board and report back to them at their next meeting.

Boyer told The Union that the Opioid Committee meets once a month and includes representatives from the city of Fairfield, the county, health center, public health and other organizations.

“We certainly have a focus on kids, because the more we can keep kids off drugs, the better their lives will be,” she said.

Boyer said one of the big projects the committee undertook earlier this year was bringing “Tall Cop” Jermaine Galloway to speak in Fairfield. Galloway led two programs, including a four-hour in-depth session for counselors, treatment providers and law enforcement. Boyer said that event cost between $18,000-$20,000.

In other county business, the supervisors spoke about what to do with the vacant third-floor office in the courthouse now that mental health has moved out. The clerk of court’s office had requested to use it as a meeting room for attorneys and their clients, since they sometimes have to meet in the hallway outside the courtroom. Dimmitt said he wasn’t keen on giving any more to the court system.

Jefferson County Assessor Steve Wemmie said it would be nice to keep the office available for conference board meetings.

“I don’t think any one person should own it,” he said.

Deputy Auditor Abbie DeKleine said the auditor’s office previously scheduled the use of it. Drish added that it would be a nice place for the auditor’s office to train its elections volunteers.

The supervisors agreed to place the auditor’s office in charge of scheduling the use of the room.

Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Myers told the supervisors that, because of the storm that knocked out his office’s server on Friday, July 11, their computers were down for 1.5 hours Monday morning, and that meant they had to turn away residents who had come for county business. Myers suggested the supervisors should look into a generator that could power the server so they don’t suffer those service interruptions again.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com