- So let's come back for our work session. I think we have, I'm not sure this packet was updated. I know
- we have, oh, we do. It has been updated. First item is the syringe service renewal. Ms. Kelly, while
- she's coming up,
- this is a renewal. Does this have to be ratified next week? It wouldn't be. This is a notice meeting
- and this is typically will do renewals that wanted to verify that. Thank you.
- Good afternoon. Thank you so much for adding this on. So it was just a lot of paperwork. So we had a
- little bit of an unexpected delay, but wanted to make sure that we got this in front of you. So just
- requesting to renew this program, just a little bit of history. The program began in 2015 in response
- to a Hepatitis C public health emergency declaration. Cases have been trending down, but Monroe County
- has experienced an increase of nearly 32% in acute and chronic rates.
- between 2023 and 2024. So additionally, Monroe County has seen an increase in newly reported HIV cases
- over the past two years, really just emphasizing the importance of prevention strategies and programs
- to reduce transmission risk. So we're just asking for approval to continue this program and I think
- I would be happy to speak about the program as well. Sure. This year is our second year of being the
- CDC's center of excellence. We're getting ready to open and have an open house for a recovery community
- organization. That always kills me. They call it RCO and I have to explain it because it's like, what
- is an RCO? We just got our building. We're getting ready to have an open house. We got our railway done.
- We have a wonderful place there.
- I think we're a pretty integral part of this community. And with you guys and the state and all of us
- have entered a point of synergy that I think is amazing. And so I don't want to say much. I think you
- guys know who I am and what we do. And I hope it's just something we all agree on. There's also, if
- you ever have problems, you can come talk to me and I'll fix them. So what we do here is saving lives.
- What we do is the hard conversations, the things nobody wants to see. Sometimes people don't like that.
- It's just like the garbage, man. You know what I mean? We have to do it. We have to do it to make sure
- our people are OK. We dropped 22% in Indiana of overdose deaths. No one else did. That's us. You know
- what I mean? That's Monroe County and the IRA and the Health Department funneling stuff out, funneling
- resources to anywhere we could. It is literally a point of pride that all of us went together and made
- a building and a van so we can get out to places. So I say thank you, as long as I really want this
- done, but thank you for letting us do this, and let's just keep doing it.
- Yeah. Thank you. Thanks for being here. It's really important and there are fewer and fewer counties
- in the state doing this work. So we really appreciate your work in the community and we're very happy
- to support it. All of our work. Yeah. It's all of our work. It is. It is. It's important work. Questions,
- comments? Yes. Thank you so much for what you're doing. I know it's not always easy.
- are probably a lot of challenges to deal with, but we really appreciate it, and this is really an important
- program to keep supported. I like challenges. Apparently you do. Because you're certainly going to get
- them. And you've conquered many, so thank you for that.
- Yes, so I know that needle syringe exchange programs are dropping like flies around the country and
- across the state and it's incredibly important we preserve them. I remember several years ago hearing
- an elected official in another county say that individuals in recovery could just or trying to recover
- could just use livestock needles and that was incredibly dehumanizing and
- sad and uninformed, um, an evidence-based and that was monstrous. So, um, we cannot go back to those
- days and this is an important step towards not going back to those days. Thank you. I will say one thing
- on that. Uh, we have seen that here and there and we don't have to be that. The one thing I love about
- Indiana is we are us. Bloomington has been a beacon for places before, you know, people ran here because
- we are the place that you're safe at. And I think that, uh,
- that old antiquated horror story of a show cannot come back up again. You know what I mean? But thank
- you for flagging that, Jody. Yeah. Thank you. Great. Any public comment on this item? You can raise
- your hand in teams or come to the podium. All those in favor of approving this Rune Service Renewal
- Agreement? I thought we already have one. Do we have a motion?
- I'll go ahead and make a motion to approve the syringe service renewal. Fund name health, fund number
- 1159, the amount of $20,000. Second. So same public comments and all in favor of approving the syringe
- service renewal signify by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries three zero. Thank you. Thank you guys so
- much. Thank you. Next item.
- I think you could make a motion on this one. Moves that the remaining 2025 Sophia Travis community service
- grant agreements. Fund names, county general and donations fund number 1041 16 in an amount of $10,050 from
- fund number 1,000 and $3,000 from fund number 4116. I'll second that. Yes, Ms. Turner-King. Good morning,
- commissioners. These three contracts are the remaining ones from the Sophia Travis grant cycle this
- year. They were not originally presented with the first batch because
- Along with receiving funds from the Sophia Travis account line, these three contracts are receiving
- funds from the council donation account line, which encompasses the funds that the Community Foundation
- had collected in memory of Cheryl Munson. So there are three organizations, Grace Center, Harrodsburg,
- Heritage Days, and Girls Inc. For the Sophia Travis account lines,
- those three organizations will receive a total of $10,050, and then each of them will receive $1,000
- from the council donation line. Thank you. Comments or questions, Commissioner Jones? Commissioner Redira?
- No. Any public comment on this item?
- All those in favor of approving the remaining 2025 Sophia Travis Community Service Grant Agreement signify
- by saying aye. Motion carries 3-0. Thank you. We don't have anything else, do we? Oh yeah, we got the
- bond. Thank you. I'm going to make a motion that we approve the bond, the elected official bond for
- our surveyor. Second.
- We have a motion and a second. Any comments? No, it's very straightforward. All those in favor of approving
- the elected official bond for our survey are signified by saying aye. Aye. Motion carries three, zero.
- And our next meeting is December 18th and we will reserve this meeting at one o'clock here in the NETU
- Hill Room. Thanks everyone.