County receives unexpected state funds to fight opioids
By Steve Sharp
steves@wdtimes.com
JEFFERSON — Jefferson County officials are finding the insidious, tenacious nature of opioid abuse and addiction here to present an almost overwhelming battle. But at Tuesday’s regular meeting of the county board for February, members received the good news they will be receiving $10,300 they weren’t expecting to help them keep up the fight.
Specifically, this money will come in 2018 from the Wisconsin Department of Human Services. The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors quickly and unanimously agreed the county should accept the aid.
The Jefferson County Human Services Department was one of 63 community groups to be awarded a State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant from the state. This will be used to, in the county’s words, “support strategies to prevent opioid abuse.”
Extra funding became available this year and the amount of $10,300 was awarded for this purpose. Because the extra grant funding was not anticipated during the 2018 county budget process, the receipt and eventual expenditure of these funds required a budget amendment that was presented and approved Tuesday evening by supervisors.
“The Jefferson County Human Services Department will undertake activities to support strategies for reducing the impact of opioid abuse in the county,” the resolution stated.
Jefferson County Board Chairman Jim Schroeder told the Daily Times that although the monetary amount is not a large one by governmental standards, it is still valued.
“Any additional resources we can use to reduce the impact of opioid abuse in our county is welcome,” Schroeder said. “I admit $10,300 is not a lot, but every little bit helps us address this issue, which has become a significant cost burden on the county.”
The board on Tuesday also heard annual reports from Kristen Wallace of the Rock River Free Clinic, Barb Gudgeon of the Community Dental Clinic, Lynn Forseth of the Jefferson County Literacy Council and Chrissy Wen of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. The first three of these reports reflected on the constant and positive usage of the different services. They have all been utilized thoroughly in the county in 2017, into the present. Wen provided a summary on the status of the UW-Extension in Jefferson County and said she and others are working diligently to see staff members will be hired to work directly with 4-H as soon as possible. She acknowledged all the changes that have been endured by staff and those who use the extension will be coming to a conclusion and the informational facility will be embarking on an updated and cohesive mission soon.
With the exception of three members of the board — Jim Braughler, Greg David and Dwayne Morris — it was agreed the fair park should enter into an agreement with Ott Schweitzer Distributing in Milton regarding sponsorship at coming county fairs.
Daniel Braun of Ott Schweitzer has been working with the county on the renewed agreement on the part of the distributor to sponsor portions of the Jefferson County Fair. The new proposed agreement would be for 2018, 2019 and 2020, and terms of payment are for $21,000 each year from the distributor to the county for allowing its presence at the fair as a major sponsor in the area of fermented malt beverages.
Braughler expressed reservations about having a sponsor of alcoholic beverages at the fair. Supervisor Ron Buchanan, who works closely with the fair, said the sponsorship is necessary to maintain the event’s operations at an acceptable level and that children are not overly exposed to beer advertising. He said beer-related references are, for the most part, segregated from them in an adult section of the park.
The county also entered into a marketing agreement that makes it possible to sell surplus real estate — that being the former satellite highway shop in Waterloo, among other actions. The highway satellite shop that had been used by the county for more than 60 years was recently put up for bid and received the attention of two potential buyers. The high bid recommended to the county board came from James Sheehy for $35,000. The fair market value of the property, according to county officials, is around $45,000, but the property has practical limitations and therefore the county accepted the bid of $35,000.
Several other budget amendments and an appointment by the county administrator of a new information technology director in John Rageth were also approved.