ALPENA — The Alpena County Board of Commissioners voted to table a decision to release funds from the county’s opioid settlement spending plan for two animal shelters in the county, Huron Humane Society and Reborn Rescue.

County Administrator Jesse Osmer presented this resolution for adoption at Tuesday’s Finance, Ways, and Means committee meeting. He said that the resolutions were passed by the Alpena County Opioid Remediation Fund Steering Committee.

Osmer explained that the use of these funds would be used by the shelters in efforts to support individuals going to rehabilitation for substance abuse to board their animals. The remediation committee recommended $30,000 to be awarded to the Huron Humane Society and $10,000 to be awarded to Reborn Rescue.

The remediation board made these recommendations last year, though the shelters were not in a position to accept the money as their budget timelines did not align.

Osmer noted that the remediation board is made up of members who are psychiatrists and medical professionals who specialize in substance abuse recovery.

“These individuals are much more knowledgeable than I am,” he added.

Osmer explained that the remediation board members informed him of a phenomenon in which those experiencing substance abuse will forego treatment in fear that they will have no one to care for their pets. The recommendation from the remediation committee was made to try and circumvent those factors in an individual’s recovery journey.

Board Chairman John Kozlowski questioned the recommendation, noting how the adoption was brought to commissioners 10 months after the recommendation by the remediation committee.

“I guess the bigger issue that I have is this was done in August of last year and made the recommendation,” Kozlowski said. “
We’re now receiving this and we’re 10 months into this whole process.”

Osmer said that the decision to wait for adoption was to save the county from “having to have multiple motions on the same item.”

“It was my recommendation to the board that although they approved it last year, that they hold the resolution until this year,” he said. “Otherwise … you would have had to have re-approved the spending, which wouldn’t have occurred until this year. You would have approved it last year, knowing that they wouldn’t have touched it, been able to accept it until this year, we would have then had to bring it back to this body twice.”

During discussion, Commissioner Travis Konarzewski questioned the use of the funds and whether or not the recommendation from the remediation board was appropriate.

“My biggest question is that, are we sure this is an acceptable way to spend the opioid money,” he asked. “And my next question is, I guess I don’t know why they would have applied for it if they weren’t ready for the money.”

Commissioner Dan Ludlow mirrored Konarzewski’s concerns, noting the price tag of these programs and whether or not the spending is an appropriate use.

“Well, I think this is a lot of money and it’s for animals, and I get the connection of the animals and recovery, but I just don’t see spending opioid money on this program,” he said. “I think this money should go to other programs that would benefit.”

Commissioners chose to table the discussion until they can determine if money is being spent appropriately in this case.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.