Alexander County Commissioners Meet, Approve Resolution to Join Opioid Regulation

At their meeting on Monday, July 15, the Alexander County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution to join the Kroger opioid settlement, which would result in an additional $40 million in settlement funds statewide. Interim County Executive Ben Faulkenberry said Alexander County will receive a total of $174,000 to be spread out over several years to help combat the opioid epidemic locally.

Alexander County has a Post-Overdose Response Team (PORT) and a Community Paramedic program to work with overdose victims and their families, and to help educate the public about the dangers of substance use.

Business Development Manager Connie Kincaid presented information on the Alexander County Housing Our Teachers project, which involves the rehabilitation of the county-owned 1919 building at 16 West Main Avenue in downtown Taylorsville. Commissioners awarded the project to HALCO Contractors, which submitted a bid of $586,876. The project, funded by state and federal grants, includes a ground-floor retail/office space, two one-bedroom apartments on the second floor and a basement storage space.

Commissioners approved an amendment to the Sterling Road Community Development Block Grant project. Paul Teague, community and economic development administrator for the Western Piedmont Council of Governments (WPCOG), presented the amendment that adds $673,596 to the project budget to account for higher-than-expected cost estimates and the need to pave an additional 379 linear feet of roadway. The project will use $1,318,640 in CDBG funds to rehabilitate homes and improve streets on Sterling Road.

(Article courtesy of Rick Gilbert, WACB)