The Clinton County Health Board, meeting with a vast majority of members present, covered a lot of ground Monday night at the Clinton County Health Department conference room, meeting for an hour and 40 minutes.

Shawn Crabtree, Director of the Lake Cumberland District Health Department and secretary for the local board, gave a brief overview of the local department’s budget, included surplus funding from mini-grants that could be used for health related projects in the county.

The excess funds of $19,000 was included in the proposed budget presented on Monday and led to a discussion about the use for those funds with Christy Nuetzman from the extension service and judge/executive Richard Armstrong discussing the EPHECT Coalition proposal on possible use of those funds.

Judge Armstrong recommended it be used for a walking trail and work on ball fields and installing scoreboards at Mountain View Park.

Neutzman told the board that the coalition and others had put an emphasis on the walking trail and other activities to improve physical activities. Apparently they would like to see the trail extend from Clinton County Middle School to the park, and eventually would like to see such a trail connect other areas like the nearby public library and Twin Lakes Family Wellness Center.

It was also noted the Clinton County Health Board and LCDHD would be recognized for their helping sponsor the proposed projects at the park.

Armstrong also noted a statistic that was concerning him was the fact that youth activity in Clinton County was ranked 103rd out of the 120 Kentucky counties.

Veterinarian Dr. Charles Daily, although in favor of the proposal for the most part, questioned whether or not the score boards were necessary and suggested using the funds more in line with expanding the walking trail.

Crabtree then discussed the budget, noting the total proposed for the 2017-18 fiscal year was $266,753.43, with the current tax rate being 3.5 cents per $100 assessed value on property, personal and motor vehicle. He also noted the aforementioned $19,800 was in the proposed budget that was presented and if used, the total operating budget was still a sufficient amount.

It was also noted than any excess for the next year would likely be used for work on the existing health department facility.

Following the budget presentation, judge Armstrong made a motion to accept the budget, including expending the $19,800 for the walking trail and park improvements, as well as keeping the tax rates unchanged from last year. He also stipulated the $19,800 for the improvements was coming from the Clinton County Health Board. The motion was seconded by Jake Staton and passed by unanimous vote.

Neutzman also noted following the vote that organizations working to improve community health were also still looking for additional park lighting, especially in the back of the park that joins the middle school and Dr. Daily also commended the park for recently opting to become a smoke (tobacco) free facility.

Following a brief Health Education Report, the board got into a lengthy powerpoint presentation and discussion about a somewhat controversial subject, under the item on the agenda of Harm Reduction/Syringe Exchange.

That topic, often referred to in laymen’s terms as a “needle exchange program” would basically allow drug users to exchange ‘dirty’ needles with new needles–primarily without fear of legal consequences. Although there has been opposition to the program, health officials argue that while not specifically designed to cease drug use, it is designed to help keep people from contracting deadly diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C and spreading those diseases by use of unclean syringes.

During the presentation, it was shown that Kentucky leads the nation in use of certain drugs and the number of people addicted to such things as opiods (pain killers). Health officials now say that since those drugs aren’t prescribed anymore, drug users have turned to a cheaper form of addiction, that being heroin.

Crabtree noted the syringe exchange program was nothing new to most states, but was relatively new to Kentucky. Currently, only 26 counties in the state participate with only one in the 10-county Lake Cumberland area considering taking part in such a program, that being nearby Russell County, whose fiscal court will vote on the measure later this month.

Following the presentation, which included several questions and discussions about several issues involved in the program, the board, on a motion by Carol Denney, APRN, voted unanimously to support presenting the proposal to local officials.

Crabtree announced early in the discussion that according to the state law that allowed the needle exchange program to be considered, it would have to be approved by all three agencies within a jurisdiction, that being the local health board, the fiscal court of each county and council of each city.

The board’s action was the first in that three-step process.

Judge Armstrong told fellow board members that the local fiscal court would listen to a presentation and Dr. William C. Powell agreed to make the presentation at the court’s next regular meeting later this month. The program could not become law unless all three of the aforementioned bodies vote to approve it.

Crabtree noted that he sometimes felt uncomfortable making the presentation about the syringe exchange program, saying he wished there was a “better way.” He noted that experts have said it is the best option available at this point.

Several board members noted there was a lot of opposition to the program because of “perception” among most of the general public as to why free syringes should be given to drug users, but don’t understand the risks being taken when dirty needles are used over and over by people who can contract diseases, sometimes deadly, such as AIDS and Hepatitis.

(A more detailed article on the syringe exchange program will be published in a later edition of the Clinton County News.)

Following the discussion, Dr. Powell said the biggest drug problem in Clinton County, he felt, was tobacco use.

The board also elected board members and officers for the next year, noting another physician was needed to fill a vacancy. Also, long-time board member Fran Hay announced she was going to resign after this year due to family matters. Her appointment will be filled by the county/judge executive and all new board members nominated will be submitted to the state board for approval.

A motion was made and passed to approve all the current board members, as well as retain current officers, Dr. Powell and Denney as Chairman and Vice-Chairperson, respectively.