In the coming months and years, Tipton County will be receiving money to combat a local and national problem: the opioid crisis.
During Monday night’s meeting of the Tipton County Legislative Body, County Executive Jeff Huffman said he expects Tipton County to receive about $180,000 a year over the next two decades or so. The money is being disbursed from law suit settlements against pharmaceutical companies.
“I think everyone here knows someone affected by this,” Huffman told the commissioners. “In my opinion, that money should go into a treatment facility or something that will make a difference.”
Huffman said when it comes time to work on the 2023-24 budget next year, decisions will be made on how to utilize the incoming funds.
According to recent Tennessee data, there were $4.7 million opioid prescriptions in 2021 and almost 26,000 overdoses in 2020, including 3,032 overdose deaths.
In other matters:
• Russell Bailey was re-appointed to a four-year term as the historian for Tipton County.
Said Huffman: “I’ve seen people enjoy their jobs, but not like Mr. Bailey … Don’t ask him about Tipton County history if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands.”
• Plans are in the works for moving dirt from the BlueOval site to Rialto Industrial Park, located just south of Unilever. The goal is to raise the ground level at the park to get it up to specs.
• Sheriff Shannon Beasley said that five deputies were recently hired and there are plans to hire three more people to serve in various roles for TCSO. He also announced that meetings are planned to discuss the specifics of the TCSO helping with security at BlueOval.
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