Commission signs paperwork for fiber project and approves $440,000 infrastructure payment; opioid settlement funds slated for jail bills

The Putnam County Commission on July 29 approved paperwork documenting a previously approved GSA change order for the county’s fiber-optic broadband project and authorized a $440,000 payment from the Putnam County Infrastructure Fund to Mountain State Fiber for PAF 13 of the Putnam County Fiber Optic Broadband Project. A county official briefed commissioners that “the commission has actually already approved the change order to the project. This is just to approve the documentation to our GSA contract.” Commissioners then voted to authorize the president to sign the GSA orders. Separately, the commission ordered the clerk to issue a check from the Putnam County Infrastructure Fund in the amount of $440,000 payable to Mountain State Fiber; the motion passed with an affirmative voice vote. The commission also directed the clerk to issue checks from the Putnam County opioid settlement fund on a monthly basis, not to exceed $200,000 per month, to pay regional jail bill costs. A motion to approve that order passed by voice vote. Why it matters: the fiber project payment and finalized GSA documentation move forward a county broadband investment; the opioid settlement directive uses settlement proceeds to cover recurring jail costs and commits up to $200,000 monthly from that settlement fund. The meeting did not include detailed contract text in the minutes; commissioners approved the documentation and the transfers as described on the agenda.