The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Joy Swearingen, Quill Correspondent
Opioid Funds received by Hancock County will be shared with Hancock County Mental Health, Drug Court and Hancock County EMS.
The Hancock County Board approved the disbursement of over $90,000 in Opioid Funds at their regular meeting May 20. Judge Rodney Clark spoke to the county Finance Committee last month about possible uses of funds in the account.
The committee discussed several uses for the money including renting an apartment which could be used for a 3-month rotation for participants, a peer support specialist, Teen Court, Drug Court and mental health services.
The plan presented to the full board for approval provided 5 percent of the funds going to Hancock County Mental Health, 5 percent going to Drug Court, and the remainder going to EMS for ambulance equipment.
These funds came to the county from the Illinois Opioid Allocation Agreement, which sets up how opioid settlement funds received by the state will be distributed. Under the agreement, 55 percent goes to the Illinois Opioid Remediation Fund, 20 percent goes to the state, and 25 percent is divided directly to Illinois local governments, counties and eligible towns.
At the beginning of the board meeting, Sheriff Travis Duffy presented the Jim Drozdz Officer of the Year award to Deputy Kaylan Wallace, of the Hancock County Sheriff’s office.
Negotiations for a new contract with the Fraternal Order of Police have been completed, and copies of the agreement were emailed to board members to review prior to the meeting. The FOP contract covers employees at the Sheriff’s Office, including jailers, dispatchers and deputies.
The board approved the contract. When the agreement is officially approved by the union members, details of the contract will be released.
A hearing was scheduled at the start of the meeting for site approval of a proposed solar energy facility in Prairie Township. Alex Farkes, owner of 22C Development LLC, was unable to attend and present information at the hearing due to a serious family health issue. The board approved granting his request for an extension to the hearing period, allowing the hearing to be held in June.
The project is on farmland belonging to Lynn and Judy McGaughey about one mile west of Carthage along County Road 1500N. The project, called 1500th Sun, LLC, would generate up to 3.9 megawatts.
A policy to use county employees’ years of service in setting their pay was tabled, and sent back to the Finance Committee for clarifications.
The policy could encourage good employees to stay with the county, and allow them to carry their years of service with them, if they moved to other departments within the county. One concern expressed was if a worker moved to a different office and a new job, he or she might have higher pay than a worker with more years of experience at that job.
Madisyn Bell of Hamilton was introduced as the new executive director of Hancock County Economic Development Inc.
Alice Dean of Carthage was appointed to a three-year term on the county Board of Health.
In the consent agenda, the board: