Jefferson County officials approve routine financial and service agreements, discuss opioid-settlement sharing

Jefferson County officials approved a series of routine financial and service measures and discussed how opioid‑settlement funds will be shared with a neighboring drug and alcohol commission.

At the meeting, officials voted to approve the minutes from the June 10 meeting; to pay invoices totaling $1,004,952.10 for the period June 7–June 21, 2020; and to approve payroll totaling $338,666.29 for the payroll period noted in the record.

Officials also approved a multi‑year contract with the nutrition group that currently supplies meals to the Jefferson County Jail and authorized an agreement with Action, Inc. to administer the county’s Medical Assistance transportation under the PennDOT shared‑ride program, reimbursing Action, Inc. for the cost of senior trips. In separate action, officials approved a memorandum of agreement with the Clearfield‑Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission to coordinate use of opioid‑settlement funds after Jefferson County’s internal obligations are met.

County officials described the opioid‑settlement agreement as a cooperative arrangement rather than a fixed annual transfer. A county speaker explained that Jefferson County receives funds from three settlement agreements that vary in amount year to year and that the county intends to allocate funds first to internal abatement, prevention and treatment efforts — for example, programs run by the jail, probation services or the drug court — and only share any remaining funds with the Clearfield‑Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission. The speaker said there was no fixed amount established for transfers to the commission and that the available share will change annually.

Officials asked that time be set aside for Judge Fort Gordon to discuss the drug‑court implications of the funds. No schedule or dollar amounts beyond the invoice and payroll figures above were recorded in the meeting record.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (meeting dated June 10): motion approved (mover/second not specified in record).

- Approval of invoices: $1,004,952.10 for period June 7–June 21, 2020: motion approved (mover/second not specified in record).

- Approval of payroll: $338,666.29 for period beginning June 1 (recorded as June '55 in transcript): motion approved (mover/second not specified in record).

- Nutrition contract for Jefferson County Jail meals: motion approved. Contract description in record: nutrition group to provide meals at the per‑meal rate recited in the transcript and to use CPI adjustments over a multi‑year term (exact per‑meal figure and some contract dates in the transcript were unclear).

- Memorandum of agreement with Clearfield‑Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission (opioid settlement funds): motion approved. Agreement described as providing for county first to meet internal obligations; any remaining funds may be shared with the commission. No fixed transfer amounts were specified.

- Agreement with Action, Inc. to administer Medical Assistance transportation under PennDOT shared‑ride program (seniors): motion approved. County to reimburse Action, Inc. for trip costs.

The meeting record shows routine roll calls during several motions (for example, individual members were asked by name and answered “yes” during the roll calls), and the chair or presiding official announced motions carried after the roll calls. Specific vote tallies and names for every vote were not recorded in the transcript excerpt provided.

Meeting context and next steps

Officials characterized most items as routine administrative matters. For the opioid‑settlement memorandum, the county emphasized that its internal programs must be funded first and that the memorandum does not establish a guaranteed annual payment to Clearfield‑Jefferson; the amount available to share will vary by year. Officials requested time on a future agenda for Judge Fort Gordon to discuss drug‑court needs tied to those funds.

Adjournment followed the routine business.