Henry County’s accountability courts are getting a financial boost thanks to added state funding and action by the Board of Commissioners.
The board voted at its June 18 regular meeting to approve a resolution approving expenditures of Drug Abuse Treatment and Education (DATE) funds, providing additional money not initially covered or cut due to reduced state funding. Just over $100,000 was approved, with $95,00 going to the DUI/Drug Court for salaries, drug testing, equipment and supplies. An additional $2,640 was allocated to the Adult Felony Drug Court, Resource Court and Veterans Court.
DATE funds are available because state law allows for an additional penalty to be collected on fines related to controlled substances and marijuana. These funds are to be spent specifically on programs dealing with drug abuse treatment and education.
Grant money was also accepted from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, administered by the Governor’s Office. The Adult Felony Court will receive $204,593 while $161,738.10 goes to the Resource Court. The allocation for the Veterans Court is $82,604.30 and the DUI/Drug Court will get $47,030. The Juvenile Mental Health Court is slated to receive $21,296.
In other business, the board received a $7,500 grant from the Association County Commissioners of Georgia for exposure-related safety supplies for field employees. The Henry County Risk and Safety Management Department applied for a grant from Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) to be used to purchase safety gear and items to reduce exposure-type workers’ compensation claims by county employees, according to county staff. These items include bug spray, powdered Gatorade, sunscreen, face shields, sun protection/cooling hats, disinfecting aerosol spray, spill kit, earplugs, earmuffs, protective gloves, and winter hats.
Items will be distributed to field employees based on needs determined by the Risk and Safety Management Department, in conjunction with each applicable department head.
The grant requires no matching funds.
Funding for three utility relocations for ongoing county projects were approved. The Simpson Mill at Hampton-Locust Grove Road intersection improvement project will require relocations by the Henry County Water Authority as well as Central Georgia EMC at a combined cost of $81,701.31 from the SPLOST budget.
A separate HCWA relocation is needed for a pipe replacement project on Lake Dow Road. The $12,268.89 for that item comes from the Stormwater budget.
