H1N1 funds remain

The Jay County Health Department is making an effort to use up state funding provided for H1N1 "swine" influenza preparation before a summer deadline.

Peggy Atkinson, health department registrar, approached the Jay County Commissioners this morning to get approval to purchase a identification badge printer out of H1N1 funds at a cost of $2,891.

The printer would allow the health department to create ID badges that could be used during a disaster situation to make sure personnel are clearly noticeable. "Everyone needs to be identified when they show up," said commissioner Milo Miller Jr. in favor of the purchase.

The commissioners made Atkinson purchasing agent to buy the Identisys printer and supplies from Progressive Office Supply.

Commissioner Faron Parr asked Atkinson about the status of the county's H1N1 funding.

"We still have probably $10,000 to $15,000 that we still could spend," she said. "But it's not going to happen before July 31."

Atkinson said during the initial phases of H1N1 preparation that the state would allow a wider variety of purchases with the provided funding. Now that the flu situation has died down, the state is being more restrictive about how those funds can be used.

In other business this morning, the commissioners:

•Were informed by county surveyor Brad Daniels that a public hearing to raise drainage assessments for the Limberlost watershed has been pushed back to May 24 due to a glitch with the computer software used for mailing.

•Were informed by Daniels that he had provided county attorney Bill Hinkle with some letters from other counties who had performed watershed combinations.

Hinkle said he would review the examples while forming a draft letter. The county is planning to combine several watersheds along the Salamonie River into the Salamonie River watershed.

•Signed a utility easement for Verizon near 9896 West 800 South in Richland Township.

•Reappointed Toni Vinson and Tamara Hanlin to the Penn Township Library Board.[[In-content Ad]]