By Stephen Smoot
After nearly a month of repeated discussion that saw some confusion and a lot of questions, the Harrison County Commission chose to grant financial support to the Game Changer anti-drug program that produces education and peer coaching and mentoring programs in all but three county schools.
Commissioner Patsy Trecost opened the regular meeting with an invocation that included “open our hearst that we can receive the love that only You can show us.” After the prayer, Commissioners and attendees recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
During the public comment period, Wallace Goff from Trinity Experiences described how the State pulled 147 tires from the river recently. He also reiterated that illicit vehicle traffic on the nearby rail trail continues to invade his property. Goff shared that he placed cameras as advised and has captured images of the trespassers.
He stated that the photo shown on his laptop “doesn’t show the volume,” and added that “our house is only 30 feet off the trail.”
In a previous statement to the Commission, Goff described repeated vandalism and theft on his property.
Next, Commissioners voted for a proclamation to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness month. The statement shared that “the problems of domestic violence . . . cross all social barriers” and deny “dignity, security, and humanity.”
Commissioners then invited a number of participants to join in two consecutive executive sessions involving a “GE update” and a proposed Summit Park Public Service District Boundary Adjustment. After the sessions concluded, they chose to take no action on the former and to schedule an Oct 30 special hearing to address the latter.
Earlier this year, the Harrison County Commission granted $75,000 to the Health Department for opioid crisis purposes. They requested, however, that the Commission take back $50,000 to “return to the pool” for other needs. They reported that grant funding helped to cover the costs that the money would have addressed.
In recent meetings, the Harrison County Board of Education requested financial assistance for the Game Changer program working in Harrison County. The stated purpose lay in helping the county schools to establish the program in the final three schools lacking the program.
Earlier in the year, the Commission had provided $30,000 for the program. They were not fully aware at the time that the funds asked for at that time were going to the organization at the state level and that the recent ask came from the Board of Education for local use. Susan Thomas, Harrison County Commission President, requested information on how those funds were spent.
Commissioners moved to approve the $30,000 promised last March and it passed two to one. It then approved by the same vote another round of $30,000 in assistance that also passed two to one.
Shortly thereafter, on another opioid related matter, Commissioners agreed to have county officials set up a meeting to consider “the Opioid Board’s recommendation of benefactors for the Opioid Settlement Funds. Said benefactors would be part of that assembly.