The County Commission voted Aug. 6 to authorize payment of $14,463 from the county's opioid settlement fund to cover hose and ladder testing for all four county fire departments.

Staff presented an invoice totaling $14,463, which included $12,660.63 for hose testing and $1,740 for ladder testing. The commission discussed the long-standing practice of helping pay for testing and the importance of the service; testing is required to certify hose and ladder safety and to identify sections that must be replaced.

Commissioners approved the payment but several expressed concern about using limited settlement or one-time funding sources repeatedly. One commissioner noted the county has spent much of its ARPA and opioid-settlement balance on one-time items and cautioned about sustainability. "We don't have ARPA money any longer," the commissioner said, and added that future approvals from the same funding source could be constrained.

The motion to authorize payment from the opioid settlement fund passed on a voice vote.

Why it matters: Hose and ladder testing are required safety procedures for volunteer fire departments; without testing, departments cannot certify equipment. The commission's approval ensures the departments can remain compliant, but earmarking one-time settlement funds for recurring expenses raises sustainability questions.

Follow-up: Staff will issue two checks per the invoice (one made payable directly to the county commission per the vendor instruction) and will provide the fire board with guidance on future funding availability.