At least once a year, the Boone County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council meets in public. Today, Sept. 23, all Boone County mayors were invited, along with individuals who provide services to citizens.
The law sets the agenda, and Interim Judge Mitchell Archer and Judge-Elect Tyler Gentry led the meeting.
Agenda items included: law enforcement, fire protection, jail facilities, ambulance services, workers' compensation, solid waste management, street, road and highway repair, parks, planning and zoning, health and sanitation, public transit, library services and more.
Officials in the room mentioned several times the strong cooperation Boone County has with the City of Harrison and other agencies in the area.
There are 12 volunteer fire departments in the county plus Harrison. Harrison currently assists all the rural departments with structure fires and grass fires if requested. Cottonwood Fire Chief Tommy Creamer said there are currently 350 volunteer firefighters and a few years ago, the average age was 67. “Thankfully, in the last few years we have had some younger guys sign up.”
He went into recruitment mode and mentioned the retirement benefits that volunteer firefighters can receive at retirement age.
The County Jail was discussed. Approximately 125 inmates are housed there daily. About 30 are waiting to be released to the state prison system. It was mentioned that transporting the prisoners back and forth to court hearings is a nightmare because of the distances and timing issues in some situations. The Boone County Jail houses individuals arrested in the City of Harrison or any of the other cities in the county without charge. The jail budget is currently about $2.7 million a year, and most of that comes from the jail tax that has been on the books for 20 years. The 18-year-old building needs some maintenance, and he agreed that the “residents” don’t always take good care of their surroundings.
The jail recently passed some inspections by the state and other agencies, and Judge Archer said, “That was an excellent report.”
NARMC provides ambulance care for the county and houses five trucks in Boone and one in Newton County. “We have 8,500 contacts a year. We are grateful the Harrison Fire Department is willing to assist with medical calls,” Scottie Trammell said.
The hospital received $400,000 in grant money to provide EMT and EMR training for volunteers and staff in the area. They hope the grant can be extended.
Sammie Cribbs Roberson, CEO/President of NARMC, is proud of the hospital staff. “We are the second largest employer in the county with 630 staff members and a $190 million economic impact back into the community. We are one of 30 hospitals in the state that still deliver babies. That’s amazing for our community.” Many in the room showed their gratefulness for having a hospital so close. Cribbs thanked the group and acknowledged that, without community support, they couldn’t serve as they do.
NARMC was the first hospital in the state to be designated as a Heart Attack Ready facility. Cribbs explained that because the ambulance is part of the hospital care, physicians can direct the emergency care needed while a patient is being transported to the hospital. This time saved is invaluable for the patient.
Library Director Angelia Mueller said they hope to have plans approved soon to renovate the Annex and add a second story. “We need more room, and we are the hub of the community,” she said.
Gentry pointed out to the group that they Library is very self-sufficient and a great addition to downtown.
During the solid waste management discussion, the group noted that the County Fall Clean-up is scheduled for Oct. 3 at Methvin Sanitation on Industrial Park Road. Gentry said that in the past, there has been a charge to handle computer monitors. But this year, there will be no fees.
The Health Department discussed the many services it provides. A question was asked about services for mental illness. The professionals in the room agreed they want to do more, but for now, they refer individuals to their doctor, clinic, or emergency room. They are trained to handle that patient's specific needs.
Streets and roads were also addressed. Archer bragged about the city’s “admirable overly project” and wished the county was doing that well. “It’s a challenge. We have between 700 and 900 miles of county roads. We have 11 road graders, and nine crews are out on the roads at all times.”
The group noted other areas for improvement, such as public transportation. Overall, Archer felt the County was doing a good job and was very proud of how the area municipalities, the City of Harrison, and County groups were working well for citizens.
The next meeting is planned for the Spring, to incorporate the mayors who will take office on Jan. 1.