When the Greene County supervisors approved a memorandum of understanding last December to accept and use a share of the settlement agreements with manufacturers of opioids, county attorney Thomas Laehn didn’t have an estimate of the amount of money involved.
Laehn told the supervisors he was surprised at how much money counties will receive. He said 18 payments will be spread out over nine years. The first payment is $9,577.42. He said he doesn’t know how much the next payments will be, “but it’s actually more than I would have guessed.”
Laehn said the counties had one last chance to object to the settlement; he recommended accepting the settlement. The funds will be deposited to the county after auditor Jane Heun sets up the correct account.
The money must be used for one or more specific purposes. There are already programs in place in the county that would meet the guidelines for use of the funds, Greene County Ambulance director Michelle Madsen told Laehn. Money not used will revert to the state.
The supervisors agreed by consensus to accept the money.
Laehn reported the recodification is going well. He thanked county recorder Deb McDonald and Tori Gettler of the auditor’s office for help in retyping in digital format ordinances for which there was only hard copy.
The supervisors approved two 3-year subscriptions for Westlaw services. Payments will be $577.66 per month for the first year, $600.77 per month in the second year, and $624.80 for the third year.
Highway 144 immediately south of Highway 30 is detoured to allow road work without needing a Union Pacific flagger at the railroad tracks. The detour uses County Roads P-33 (S Ave, the Spring Lake road) and E-53 (old Highway 30).
County engineer Wade Weiss reported the county has already gotten 300 tons of road salt. Another 300,000 tons has yet to be picked up. “We’re already getting ready for potential winter activities,” Weiss said.
The supervisors serving as trustees of Drainage District 121 approved modifications to the district to allow for a nutrient reduction wetland per the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Drainage will not be adversely affected by the wetland.
