The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Commissioners honor first responders
Lorain County commissioners met April 4 and proclaimed next week Appreciation Week for first responders.
The proclamation is one part of the celebration which is being spearheaded by Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Lorain County.
Elaine Georgas, executive director of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board, gave a brief presentation describing the importance of Appreciation Week and some of the ways those on the frontlines of the opioid epidemic will celebrate.
“Early next week, members of our community group will deliver 47 thankyou baskets to over 1,500 first responders,” Georgas said. “These baskets have things that they need to be on the go: snacks, notepads, pens, the little things that make a difference that we take for granted; helping to support their work unconditionally every day for the safety of our families.”
Georgas said the baskets also will contain copies of the proclamations from the commissioners, Gov. John Kasich, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine
and mayors in the community along with thank-you notes from local students currently in treatment centers.
She also played a statewide thank you video, which will be on flash drives included in the baskets.
In the video, several people who were revived by
first responders using naloxone, and family members thank the paramedics for their work to save lives.
Also on the flash drive are videos about self-care and the dangers of fentanyl.
“That was a powerful presentation,” Commissioner Matt Lundy said. “It’s sad, because I know that I’ve received some of the phone calls where people say ‘well, they chose to do this, let them die.’
“But these are our neighbors
and our loved ones.”
In other news, the commissioners approved the purchase of four light transit replacement vehicles for a total of $240,000.
County Administrator James Cordes said the new vehicles will replace some of the buses currently on the road, or rolling stock.
“They’re still useable,” Cordes said of the buses
currently on the road. ”But if we don’t start replacing them soon, we won’t have enough rolling stock.”
Cordes said the funds are from the Federal Transit Authority with matching funds from the Ohio Department of Transportation.
“It’s time to buy them,” he said. “If we don’t use these funds, somebody else will.”
Also, the commissioners voted to enter into a lease to own purchase agreement with the Kansas State Bank to buy heavy equipment.
A Case CX160D excavator with a trailer will be purchased for $272,907.64. Annual payments of $38,439.35 will be made for eight years. A Kubota SVL95-2SHFC compact truck loader will be purchased
for $63,289. Annual payments of $14,264.38 will be made for five years.
Also, commissioners awarded a $94,375 contract to Kelstin Inc. of Shelby, to install an inline grinder, which reduces solids to specific size requirements, in the Lorain/Medina Community Based Correctional Facility, 9892 Murray Ridge Road in Elyria.