The Mitchell County Commissioners met on Monday, January 29. Stephanie Simmons, Executive Director of the Mitchell County Regional Medical Foundation, introduced the commissioners to the “Stop the Bleed” initiative.
This is an effort by the Mitchell County Hospital Health Systems Level IV Trauma Team to equip Mitchell County with stop the bleed kits to help prevent deaths due to insufficient education and equipment regarding the use of tourniquets when necessary.
Their goal is to provide stop the bleed kits for the Beloit Police Department vehicles, Mitchell Country Sheriff Department vehicles, and Mitchell County schools including Tipton. Each kit comes in highly visible red container and includes educational information, a tourniquet, and gauze with dressings.
The price of the kits are $50 each and Simmons hopes to buy 12 kits for a total of $600. She is hoping to solicit funds from the city and the county and from the Foundation to cover the cost of the kits. The commissioners believed this is a worthwhile program, and they will make a decision about their contribution to the trauma kits at a future meeting.
Stan Deneke, Noxious Weed Director, presented the Commissioners with a copy of his yearly work summary highlighting efforts of his department in 2017. He also provided them with an annual plan for the current year. Deneke has spent considerable time cutting cedar trees. He told the commissioners that because of their shape, spraying them often leads to the spray drifting to other vegetation, which necessitated that they be cut instead of sprayed.
Cortney Murrow, Mitchell County Health Nurse was present to discuss home health care with the commissioners. She said that the provider for the Smith County Home Health program will be ending their services soon, leaving Smith County with no home healthcare provider.
The Smith County Health Department has made inquiries of Murrow to see if Mitchell County would be willing to take over the program. Murrow said it would not increase their workload dramatically, and they should be able to take over the program with minimal added work. The commissioners moved to allow Murrow to proceed with offering home health services in Smith County.
The commissioners voted to reappoint Dwight Daniels to the 12th District Judicial Selection committee for a three-year term.
Mitchell County Sheriff Tony Perez was on hand with several questions about the proposed new computerized time clock and payroll system. County Clerk Chris Treaster answered the sheriff’s questions, and she pointed out that the new system has not yet been purchased. She said if the new system is purchased, significant in-service training will be provided to those needing training on the new system.
The Mitchell County Commissioners are next scheduled to meet on Monday, February 5, 2018 at the Mitchell County Courthouse.
