HAGERSTOWN, Md. — Washington County commissioners will consider distributing more than $170,000 in opioid settlement money as they also seek state funding to prepare 43 acres at Hagerstown Regional Airport for future commercial or industrial development when they meet Tuesday.
The Sept. 29 meeting begins at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Administration Complex in Hagerstown. The county’s published agenda includes eight open-session business items before commissioners are scheduled to enter closed session at 10:15 a.m. The county also confirms the Sept. 29 agenda on its commissioners’ meeting page.
Opioid settlement grants
Commissioners will consider awarding $170,342 from Washington County’s share of opioid litigation settlement funds, including grants for three community prevention programs and a new wellness program for Sheriff’s Office employees.
Brook Lane would receive $100,000 for a school-based prevention and early intervention program, Good News Hagerstown would receive $28,092 for a family-based opioid misuse prevention program, and Hospice of Washington County would receive $17,250 for grief and bereavement support. County staff members received eight outside applications seeking a combined $476,443 and are recommending $145,342 in community grants.
Another $25,000 would establish a one-year employee wellness program for Sheriff’s Office personnel regularly exposed to overdoses, overdose deaths and other traumatic incidents associated with the opioid crisis.
Sheriff’s Office officials say they currently have no formal wellness program specifically addressing that kind of occupational trauma. The proposed program would offer services including confidential counseling, critical-incident response, training, family education and behavioral-health referrals.
The settlement money is restricted to opioid-abatement purposes, and the proposed awards would have no impact on the county’s general finances.
County eyes development of 43 acres at airport
Commissioners also will consider applying for a Maryland Business Ready Sites Program grant to begin preparing 43 vacant acres at Hagerstown Regional Airport for future development.
The county previously received $10,000 in site-characterization services through the program. Economic development officials now want to pursue a second-phase improvement grant, initially using the money for grading to prepare the airport property for future infrastructure and commercial or industrial development.
The state program can fund infrastructure improvements, environmental remediation and other work intended to make undeveloped property more attractive to businesses. The county says the required match would be met through existing investments at the airport, including its ongoing terminal expansion, with no additional impact on county finances.
$388,000 cybersecurity system to be considered
The commissioners will consider awarding a $387,765 contract to GHA Technologies Inc. for the county’s Rubrik data-protection system, which provides data backup and ransomware protection for county computer systems.
Ten companies submitted bids after 41 potential bidders accessed the solicitation. GHA Technologies, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, submitted the lowest responsive bid, according to the county.
Emergency services seeks new cardiac monitor
The county’s Division of Emergency Services is seeking approval to apply for a $30,000 state grant toward replacement of an outdated cardiac monitor and defibrillator.
A new device costs about $65,000, or $60,000 after a trade-in. The Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems grant would cover $30,000, with the county providing the required $30,000 match from the division’s existing equipment budget.
Commissioners also are scheduled to consider purchasing a $75,753 Ford F-350 for the Department of Water Quality to replace a 2014 utility truck with 226,000 miles. The county would use an existing Baltimore County purchasing contract rather than conduct a separate bid process.
The agenda also includes two county hiring recommendations and two reappointments to the Hagerstown Regional Airport Advisory Commission.
The commissioners are scheduled to reconvene at noon following a closed session involving personnel, EMS staffing and legal matters.
