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Sullivan County Legislature Roundup

“...the opioid crisis is not over,” County Coroner laments

Isabel Braverman
Posted 7/12/18

By Isabel Braverman

MONTICELLO - Sullivan County Coroner Albee Bockman says there have been nine deaths from opioid-related issues in the past 60 days. He was addressing the county legislators …

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Sullivan County Legislature Roundup

“...the opioid crisis is not over,” County Coroner laments

Posted

By Isabel Braverman

MONTICELLO - Sullivan County Coroner Albee Bockman says there have been nine deaths from opioid-related issues in the past 60 days. He was addressing the county legislators at the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee meeting at the Government Center on Tuesday.

“Unfortunately the opioid crisis is not over,” Bockman said. He said that the coroner's office and Mobilemedic are jointly working on a new project called “Access to Care,” which was initiated by Catholic Charities.

They met recently with NYS Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, police agencies and others to discuss the opioid crisis and how to fix it. Bockman said they want to get to the “ground level” of the problem, meaning addressing care from the moment EMS or police are on the scene of an overdose call.

“This is an initiative by your local agencies, police, EMS and Gunther's office to find a way to get these people to a treatment center,” Bockman said. “From the actual scene when EMS arrives, or when someone walks into the PD [police department] office and says, ‘I want help,' to get them to treatment.”

“This is a groundbreaking thing, it sounds quite promising,” Bockman continued. “It's a beginning for our county, to see if we can address this problem.”

Busy month for

emergency responders

Also at the committee meeting, members from the county emergency services departments were on hand to give their reports. One common theme became apparent: it was a busy time since last month's meeting in June.

From fires to car accidents, all departments reported on a busy month. Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild said, “It's been very, very busy in the fire world; we had some major incidents in the last month or so. But everything is going well, all the agencies are working well together—fire, EMS, police.”

Alex Rau, 911 Coordinator, echoed Hauschild's report. “As John reported, we too have been busy—if they're busy we're busy. Unfortunately we've had a couple of fatal motor vehicle accidents, fires; it has been an active summer, unfortunately. If we're busy it's not a good thing,” Rau said.

They also mentioned the 26 people who were arrested on June 8 during a county-wide drug raid, which resulted in finding 400 grams of powder cocaine, 100 grams of crack cocaine, 120 bags of heroin, assorted prescription pills, one shotgun and $35,000 in cash.

Director of Probation, Barbara Martin, said, “Because of the arrests that were made we now have pretty much most of those people in our pre-trial program, so we are extraordinarily busy giving them services and supervising them while they go through the court system.”

Emergency access wanted for Pond Eddy Bridge

Legislator Nadia Rajsz brought up at the committee meeting that there is no emergency river access at the site of the Pond Eddy Bridge. Construction is currently ongoing to build a new one. However, Rajsz said when they started to build it, the Upper Delaware Council asked if they could leave an area for emergency access to the river.

“I think Penn DOT is the lead. And at the time they said no, and the Park Service said no, if my memory serves me correctly,” Rajsz said. She said they told her the reason they didn't want to leave an access in the river is because of floods that commonly occur and could wash it away.

Rajsz said the Lumberland Fire Department is requesting the access, as it could be used to draw water for the trucks, and also for river rescue operations. “I think this is a very valuable access site for our emergency services and our fire departments,” Rajsz said.

Deputy County Manager Dan Depew said the legislators should pen a letter to send to Penn DOT, the National Park Service, and anyone else who needs it, saying the legislature supports allowing for an emergency river access at the site.

Low voter turnout in primary election

Cora Edwards, Democratic County Elections Commissioner, reported to the Government Services Committee that the election results from the federal primary were certified on July 5. The Democratic primary election was held on June 26 and Antonio Delgado was the winner.

Legislator Rajsz asked Edwards why there are two different primaries, one in June (federal) and one in September (state), before the general election in November. Edwards explained that the state assembly and senate couldn't agree on a date. There was originally one primary scheduled for April, however there was a court order to hold one in June. “The assembly and the senate can't agree on a date together so it ends up we have a very high cost with a very low turnout,” Edwards said.

In the primary election in Sullivan County there was a seven percent voter turnout, with 2,569 total votes. In the county, the candidate with the most votes was Gareth Rhodes (Delgado was second).

Rajsz asked if they could do anything to make the primaries on the same day. Edwards said to write a letter to the senate and assembly officials. “Write a letter and just say this is taxpayer money that could be better spent with one primary and better voter turnout,” Edwards said. “There's no constitutional change that has to happen.”

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