The Marshall County Council considered a request last week to provide funding to the Marshall County Drug Task Force for updated equipment.
The conversation started with the Marshall County Commissioners where Prosecutor Nelson Chipman and Detective Sergeant Jonathan Bryant presented a request to purchase new covert operations equipment.
The commissioners approved a motion to support the purchase out of American Rescue Plan Act Funds up to $20,000 and that support would be discussed by the American Rescue Plan Act Subcommittee in the morning prior to the Marshall County Council meeting Thursday, May 9.
The subcommittee members did pose the question if the opioid restricted settlement funds could be used to satisfy the funding request, but Marshall County Council President Jesse Bohannon stated during the council’s meeting that the option was not viable. Even so, Auditor Angie Birchmeier cautioned the members that it is not guaranteed to be the same amount each distribution and there is no regular distribution date with a set amount that comes from the state.
The council did unanimously approve the additional appropriation up to $20,000 out of the American Rescue Plan Act funds. The commissioners, in their support of the funding, unanimously approved a pre-pay so the equipment can be ordered as soon as possible. To ensure that can happen, the council unanimously approved a motion to provide support of the additional appropriation to be formally approved during their Thursday, June 13 meeting.
There will be discussions during budget time about creating a line item in the budget, likely in the prosecutor’s budget, and providing funds for the Drug Task Force for “buy money”.
