Commissioners proclaim Teacher Appreciation Week

Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Burcham warned of a popular scam going around right now at the county commission meeting Tuesday.

The scam involves people putting counterfeit money into circulation, and the practice has recently showed up in Lawrence County.

The counterfeit bills, which look very close to real money, contain the words “For Motion Picture Use Only” at the top, and Burcham said they have showed up in Rome Township and Ironton.

He added that the money can be purchased on eBay cheaply, and that people and businesses should be aware of the situation moving forward.

Burcham also gave an update on the land bank, and said that Monday, May 15, the land bank is set to acquire a large number of properties. If everything goes smoothly and gets approved, the first demolition date is set for Monday, June 19, in which houses in Ironton, and the Burlington and Rome Township areas will be torn down.

The commissioners also declared this week, May 8-12, Teacher Appreciation Week in Lawrence County.

Commissioner DeAnna Holliday, who has a background with the Dawson-Bryant Board of Education, read the proclamation at the meeting, which was signed by all of the commissioners.

Lawrence County EMS Director Buddy Fry gave an update at the meeting with numbers of Narcan doses EMS has administered.

From Jan. 1 through March 31, Fry said Lawrence County EMS gave 127 doses of Narcan to 75 patients for an average of 1.41 doses per day. From Jan. 1 through Tuesday, EMS administered 221 doses of Narcan to 118 patients, averaging 1.86 doses per day.

Fry also announced that Donna Nance recently retired from the county EMS after more than 20 years of service, and Freddie Joe Stevens, who also serves as a captain at the Ironton Fire Department, recently resigned from the county EMS after 27 years of service.

Fry thanked them for their service, and asked the commissioners to proclaim Tuesday, May 23, 2017, Donna Nance Day in Lawrence County and Thursday, May 25, 2017, Freddie Joe Stevens Day in Lawrence County, which the commissioners approved to do.

Following Fry, Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Andy Ballard spoke about recently being able to spend a night at the Rome Township EMS station this past weekend to observe EMS’s role in the drug epidemic.

He said that no overdose calls were taken during that time, which was surprising, but commended the county on its efforts to combat the epidemic with open discussions and town halls set up to discuss the topic of addiction.

Commissioner Freddie Hayes Jr. thanked Ballard for everything he has been doing for the county since becoming judge, and noted that he is the only judge to consistently attend commission meetings.

Debbie Gulley, director of case management for the Area Agency on Aging District 7, also spoke at the meeting about the services the agency provides.

The agency, which is based in Wheelersburg, serves both Scioto and Lawrence counties.

The commissioners also:

• Received and filed the Dog Warden Report dated April 29, 2017.

• Approved five floodplain permits.

• Approved five transfer funds.

• Approved five appropriations.

• Received and filed the Lawrence County EMS monthly report for April.

• Approved the resignation of part-time employee Freddie Joe Stevens from Lawrence County EMS.

• Promoted Lawrence County EMS employee Cody Bryant from part-time Paramedic to full-time paramedic, effective May 8, 2017.

• Terminated the employment of part-time EMT Amanda Harmon under her probationary period for failure to complete training and failure to be available for work.

• Requested Commission President Bill Pratt to sign the amendment request B-F-15-1BN-1, requested by Cindy Anderson, CAO, which has previously been approved by commission.

• Approved and signed the Owner Voluntary Agreement for Paul David Neal and Ronald J. Neal at 3628 S. Third Street in Ironton.

• Approved and signed the out of county residential services for Fayette, Brown and Scioto County Juveniles to be housed at the Lawrence County Juvenile Center for $85 per bed.

• Proclaimed May 8-May 12, 2017, Teacher Appreciation Week in Lawrence County.

• Approved and signed an airport security plan, as requested by ODOT, signatures needed to have the grant issued.

• Approved the donation of $750 from Clerk of Courts Mike Patterson’s office to the Flags of Honor.

• Approved the purchase of a new van for the Lawrence County Dog Shelter.

The next commission meeting will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds as part of Senior Citizens Day.