County to recognize prescription drug abuse awareness day.

BY DEAN COUSINO
MONROE NEWS STAFF REPORTER

A Prescription Drug Abuse & Red Med Box Awareness and Education Day will be observed Tuesday in Monroe County as part of an effort by county commissioners to focus on an ongoing prescription drug abuse problem in the region.

Last month, the county board passed 9-0 a resolution recognizing the day to raise awareness and educate residents on the importance of properly disposing of medications.
“Flushing unwanted medications can contaminate water supplies and harm wildlife,” Dan Rock, recycling and green community program coordinator, said in his quarterly report. “Medications tossed in the trash can be stolen and abused and present a danger to children and pets.”

Authorities want to reduce access to prescription medications to reduce drug abuse among area youths, he said. As part of this effort, two medication take-back events were held in May and two more are scheduled Oct. 20 at Redeemer Baptist Church in Monroe and Nov. 3 at Carleton United Methodist Church.

The resolution cited the “prescription drug abuse epidemic” and dangers of misusing prescription medications. The resolution also encouraged citizens to make healthy decisions when using and storing medications.

J. Henry Lievens, board chairman, said the county health department has done a good job focusing on the significant impact the epidemic has had on individuals, families, businesses and communities.

“Disposing of these meds properly helps eliminate the terrible scourge we have in this county,” Mr. Lievens said. “The more awareness we raise, the better.”

Drug overdoses have surpassed traffic accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in Michigan, with prescription opioids and heroin responsible for more than half of all overdose deaths in the county, the resolution said.

About 70 percent of youths who misused prescription drugs reported they obtained them from home, family or friends. Disposal of unwanted medicines into a landfill or sanitary sewer is not the answer. That allows pharmaceuticals to be released into the environment and show up in surface waters around the state, contaminating them.

To combat the problem, the county is encouraging residents to safeguard all medications in their homes by monitoring their quantities, controlling access and disposing of old medicines by using the free “Red Med” medication disposal bins set up at six local law enforcement offices: City of Monroe, Michigan State Police-Monroe Post, Bedford Township, Village of Dundee, Village of Carleton and Erie Township. In 2015, nearly 1,000 pounds of old and unwanted medications were collected at these bins.

County refunds bonded debt for South County Water

BY DEAN COUSINO
MONROE NEWS STAFF REPORTER

Monroe County commissioners are refunding bonds to refinance $2.5 million of outstanding debt for the South County Water System.

Tuesday night, the board approved a resolution to refund the bonds, a move that would benefit the four communities that make up the water system — Bedford, Erie and LaSalle townships and the City of Luna Pier.

The county, through Drain Commissioner David Thompson, will issue the refunding bonds as part of a contract the board entered into with the local units, said Michael Bosanac, county administrator.

The county is pledging its full faith and credit to back the bonds that carry an investment grade rating of AA for municipal securities. The county’s credit rating was upgraded in late 2014 and has remained at a higher grade since then, Mr. Bosanac said.

The local units are responsible for paying the refinanced debt through principal and interest payments administered by the drain commissioner, who acts as county agent for collection of the monies owed for the payments.

Board Chairman J. Henry Lievens noted the value of the collaborative effort the county has with the local units.

“As our local units of government use the county’s credit rating and borrowing capacity to finance their projects, they and most importantly their citizens save on borrowing costs directly related to the county’s good financial standing,” Mr. Lievens said in a press release. “This is a good outcome working with our local units of government.”

The refinancing was previously approved by the four communities prior to the board action. Each unit had to okay the agreements and pledge their full faith and credit to make the debt service payments, Mr. Bosanac said. Assisting in the financial transaction were Public Financial Management, an Ann Arbor firm that served as financial adviser, and Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, which serves as bond counsel for the county.

The refunding bonds are scheduled to be sold in the next few weeks. Until the bonds are sold, the exact dollar amount savings will not be known, but preliminary figures show approximately $204,000 in savings. Commissioner Gary Wilmoth, who represents LaSalle and Erie townships along with the City of Luna Pier, welcomed efforts to refinance the debt.

“This is a good effort on behalf of the taxpayers to get the best and lowest-cost financing we can for their benefit,” he said. “This demonstrates again the value of having a fiscally strong county as our citizens directly get the value when borrowing takes place.”

Commissioner Jason Turner added this is a “very good opportunity to take advantage of the market to reissue the debt and use the county’s financial rating for the benefit of our citizens who ultimately save money with this transaction.”

He said he was pleased to be able to “work together with our local leaders in such a positive and fiscally responsible way.”

Lievens running again for county board

BY DEAN COUSINO
dean@monroenews.com

J. Henry Lievens, chairman of the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, is seeking re election this fall to the District 9 seat on the nine member board.

Mr. Lievens, a Republican, has represented the district since 2005. The district includes Whiteford Township and the southwest portion of Bedford Township.

A Local attorney for more than 10 years, Mr. Lievens has been elected twice as board chairman. He also has served as chairman of the human resources committee and a Healthcare Task Force. He also served on the Monroe County Land Bank Authority Board, the Retiree Healthcare Trust Board and the Monroe County Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees.

Mr. Lievens cited a list of accomplishments he has been involved with, including restructuring appointments to the historical commission to ensure countywide representation.

He also supported the Monroe Conservation District in managing local environmental initiatives as well as the River Raisin Watershed Council that works with multiple units of government to coordinate best practices to protect area waters and streams.

He said his “hallmark accomplishment in the environmental area was getting a county wide injection well ordinance passed.”

“Banning the injections wells due to our karst geology and other efforts the board took were all to protect drinking water supplies for the 30 percent of the citizens who depend on safe, clean well water for everyday life,” Mr. Lievens said in a press release.

He said he has also helped strengthen public safety in his district and countywide.

“We have made good progress in providing more law enforcement officers directly in the community since 2013 with the addition of four officers,” he said.

The county also has added 911 dispatchers to handle a growing volume of calls.

The board accomplished an important goal supporting countywide emergency first responders by constructing a new facility housing their most important equipment and ensuring the equipment is ready when needed, Mr. Lievens said.

Mr. Lievens also cited a public-private partnership to strengthen opportunities for economic development. The recently announced I-75 corridor strategic plan highlights local governments and businesses working together and sharing resources.

In the next term, Mr. Lievens said he would continue to “guide the county in a fiscally responsible” manner.

He also reiterated his support for the community efforts in rooting out drug addiction, specifically heroin.

A lifelong county resident, Mr. Lievens and his wife, Betzi have a 2-month-old son. A graduate of St. Mary Catholic Central High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Law Degree from the University of Toledo. A beekeeper and avid outdoors-man, he is a member of the Ottawa Lake Sportsman Club, Monroe County Rod and Gun Club, Bedford Business Association, Monroe County Chamber of Commerce and Farm Bureau among others.

J. Henry Lievens takes his son out for his first hike in the woods.

Monroe County to vote on school levy May 3

BY JAY SKEBBA
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Article Snippet Courtesy of Toledo Blade