The Greene County board of supervisors approved the first distribution of opioid settlement funds at the June 9 meeting.
The supervisors approved a 28E agreement with Midwest Wellness for opioid use disorder epidemic remediation services. Midwest Wellness will receive $75,000.
The supervisors also approved a 28E agreement with New Opportunities for the same services. New Opportunities will receive $35,000.
The opioid settlement funds are distributed to counties by the state. A total of $2.13 billion dollars is being allocated nationally as part of a $46 billion settlement that drugmakers, distributors and pharmaceutical companies reached to resolve lawsuits alleging they fueled an epidemic of opioid addiction.
Jefferson city administrator Scott Peterson reported the project to widen E. Lincoln Way will begin next Monday, June 17. The extra width will be added on the north side of the existing roadway, out to curbing that was placed during an earlier project.
Peterson also said the Iowa Department of Transportation has approached the city council’s streets committee about remarking Hwy 4 (Elm St), reducing it from four lanes to three. The DOT will hold public input meetings on the proposal this fall.
Existing markings would be removed with a power jet and new markings would be placed. No construction would be needed. There would be a northbound lane, a southbound lane, and a center turn lane, similar to First St in Perry.
The goal would be to reduce accidents. Peterson said the DOT will have statistics supporting the proposal at the meetings in the fall.
Peterson briefed the supervisors on the roll out of single stream recycling, set to begin July 1.
