Wasco County Commissioners Approve Overdose Prevention Funding
Pictured from left to right: Nicole Beaman, Sandra Silva, Debby Jones of YouthThink.
Photo Credit: YouthThink
by Cole Goodwin
Wasco County Commissioners held their regular meeting on Wednesday, April 5th, 2023 at 9 a.m. and approved several important items on the agenda.
At the top of the list was the YouthThink Overdose Prevention Subcontract between Wasco County and North Central Public Health District which was approved, and will provide much-needed support for the prevention of drug overdoses in local communities. The funds approved total $58,575 to be spent on overdose prevention activities including overdose response planning, naloxone assessment in the community and an overdose prevention program.
“One of our biggest projects it the Leave Behind project,” Debby Jones, Prevention Specialist with YouthThink, told CCCNews following the commissioners meeting. “We did one two weeks ago with St. Vincent de Paul. We did a training for approximately 60 individuals,”
Lanyards for Life naloxone emergency kits. Photo Credit: YouthThink
The training covered administration of naloxone (NARCAN), a life-saving drug that rapidly reverses opioid overdose by blocking brain receptors, and provided emergency overdose response kits with naloxone, gloves, CPR mouthpieces, and more. Participants also received information about Oregon's Good Samaritan Law and addiction recovery resources.
YouthThink is currently partnering with the regional Behavioral health Resource Network (BURN), which receives Measure 110 funding to to increase naloxone access in our communities.
“Yes this is to prevent death but it’s also to encourage people to seek treatment and peer support for recovery,” said Jones.
The Overdose Prevention Task Force, which meets monthly, and works to raise awareness in the area has also began a “Lanyards for Life” movement, which encourages people to have brightly colored lanyards attached to naloxone kits to signal to the people around them that they have a naloxone kit and naloxone training.
Additionally, Commissioner approved the emergency generator grant agreement totaling $234,925 was approved, which will allow the purchase of three propane generators to ensure power is available to the Barlow Water District, Wamic Community Center, and Wamic Fire and Rescue during emergencies that may involve power outages.
Commissioners also approved the appointment of Ed Thomas to the Wasco County Economic Development Commission and Deborah Ferrer to The Dalles Watershed Council.
During the meeting, Kathy Clark presented a report from Mailchimp about the open and click rates of Wasco County agenda and board packet email notifications. Clark shared that, in general, the level of people that subscribe to notification and read the agendas stays relatively the same, and tends to stay within the range of a 10%-20% open rate.
The Leadership summit minutes were also approved, and Chair Kramer opened up the floor for public comment. Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis presented his mid-term report to commissioners, and Kelly Howsley-Glover from Wasco County, gave an update on The National Flood Insurance Program Biological Opinion in regards to a Federal Emergency Management Agency lawsuit regarding floodplain requirements.
However, the meeting was not without its challenges. Jon Belozer of Belozer Outdoor Enterprises also presented to commissioners about his wildlife management services. Belozer was contracted for a certain amount of work, but the scope of work completed has now exceeded the contract by $5,130 without prior approval of the Commissioners.
Commissioners discussed the issue and felt there was a lack of a proper approval process prior to the carrying out of the additional work, which exceeded the contract amount. Wasco County Commission Chair Steve Kramer made a recommendation that the commissioners pay half the amount and put it upon the contractor to collaborate with the county to create a process that includes communication between Belozer, ODFW and Wasco County Commissioners prior to completing and billing for wildlife management services. Belozer said he was amenable to that decision.
“I don’t want to see another invoice until we get this cleared up,” said Kramer. “We’ve got to have better communication.”
To view the Wasco County Commissioners agenda, submit public comment, or watch a recording of the meeting please visit: www.co.wasco.or.us.
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