Impact Prevention makes request for van funding

The Lawrence County Commission voted last week to reappoint Mike Boster as the county’s Local Emergency Planning Committee.

Boster’s new term will begin today and run through Feb. 28, 2026.

The reappointment was voted for unanimously by the three commissioners.

The commission also heard from Eddie Neal of Impact Prevention, which offers after school and youth-led programs on mental health promotion and substance abuse prevention in Lawrence and Scioto counties.

Neal said the agency is again planning Party in the Parks for this summer, which offered activities such as volleyball, yard games, Kona Ice and others at multiple locations in the county.

“We do anything and everything,” Neal said. “So, kids can have alternative activity in summer, instead of making unhealthy life choices.

Neal said he was also coming to the commission because they have a “barrier” to the services they provide.

He said Impact often uses part of grants to rent vans to take children in their afterschool program on field trips to locations such as Lake Vesuvius, but, with the cost of rentals rising, they are looking into purchasing a used van in the $50,000 range.

Neal said they are also looking into grants and approaching the Lawrence County Foundation. 

He said they also have the possibility of funding from school districts toward the cost, if businesses and other agencies contribute.

“We would like to officially make a request to the community and to our members, who have always been awesome to step up and support the program,” he said.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved the minutes of the meeting held Feb, 14, 2023, as corrected.

• Received and filed the EMS Monthly Report for January 2023, submitted by Lori Morris, EMS director of finance. 

• Received and filed the certificate of county auditor that the total appropriations from each fund do not exceed the Official Estimate of Resources. 

• Approved the resolution regarding the rates for indigent defense that the county can be reimbursed by the state, in court time $75 per hour and out of court will be $65 per hour, beginning for any case appointed on or after July 1.

• Approved the adoption of maximum fee caps set forward by the Ohio Public Defenders for any case appointed on or after March 1.

• Meet in executive session with Dylan Bentley, Curtis Strickland, Tony Howard and Bill Dingus regarding real estate.