By Sherri Blevins
The DeKalb County Commission approved funding to protect first responders responding to situations involving hazardous materials during the June 13, 2023, DeKalb County Commission meeting. The source of the funds is settlement money obtained from the National Opioid Lawsuit Settlement. According to National Public Radio, presently, companies involved in the lawsuit have or are in the process of paying out over $50 billion in settlement money to state and local governments around the country. County Administrator Sharp said that DeKalb County’s portion is $975,000.00. Part of the settlement is paid in lump sums from certain companies, while others are spread out over ten to fifteen years, possibly more.
Sharp explained that the County had to decide where to spend the money following the rules of the opioid settlement. Certain restrictions apply to how the money is to be spent. Sharp said he had sent emails to several departments requesting suggestions for the funding. The DeKalb County EMA requested a hazardous response trailer and protective gloves be purchased from the funds. Sharp told the Commission that he wanted to bring them in on the discussion on allocating the rest of the funds and requested that a committee be formed from representatives from the Commission, the EMA, and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office to create the budget.
Sharp asked EMA Assistant Director Michael Posey to explain some of his department’s needs. Posey said, “With the trailer, we are setting up, one of the things we have noticed across the County is that we lack the capability for hazardous material responses, including opioid exposure response. We have been working on building this trailer out to be a hazardous materials response unit that would provide personal protective equipment, including hazardous protection suits and self-containing breathing apparatuses. Talking with Commander Phillips with the DeKalb Special Response Team, they have had multiple responses to situations that were potentially contaminated with fentanyl or other dangerous drugs. They have actually had a response where they had one person who passed – they died because of exposure. It wasn’t a County employee, but it was the person who was the homeowner at the residence. They did have two responders that were exposed and had to be treated and transported to the hospital, so there is a need for this.”
Posey added that they needed equipment that could be used for hazardous material response and decontamination once the event was over. He said four sets of personal equipment would be adequate and cost approximately $50,000. The Commission approved the request and agreed to consider forming a committee to oversee the budget.
Road Superintendent Broyles gave a brief update on his department. He said the herbicide contractor had finished the first round of spraying, and he was pleased with the outcome. Broyles said the paving contractor was ready to start and would begin with roads in the Ider area. He added that District Three roads were ready for paving, and District Four roads were close to being ready. District Two roads would follow them. Broyles reported that the ordered equipment was still delayed, and he didn’t know when or if they would receive it.
Broyles said five employees had quit, and he wanted to post four open positions and hire Matthew West for the fifth opening. The Commission approved his requests.
In addition, the Commission approved the following items:
- $166,666 to Charles Watt for resurfacing portions of County Road 89 near Mentone from the Rebuild Annual Grant
- CR 494 Speed Limit Resolution setting the speed limit to 35mph on CR 494 in Sand Valley
- State ARPA Stormwater Funds Application Resolution approving the grant application with a 35% matching agreement
- Hiring Micah Swift, Joel Barkley, Bruce Vaughn, and Cameron Britt at the DeKalb County Jail
- Accepting resignations from Sergeant Brittney Gentry, Regina West, Gary Chapman, Steven Beverly, Michael Hurst, and Jennifer Ganolas
- Promoting Evan Wilborn to Sergeant
- Transfers within the Probate Office and County Commission
- Changing a part-time transportation employee to full-time at the RPT
- 2023 Arrow Disposal/Town of Powell Exemption List for low-income families
- July 21-23, 2023 “Back to School” Sales Tax Holiday
The next meeting of the DeKalb County Commission will be on July 11, 2023.