Boyle County declines immediate $5,000 sponsorship request for regional recovery initiative while pursuing larger local opioid grant

At the Nov. 10 Boyle County Fiscal Court meeting, officials discussed a request from the Bluegrass Recovery Initiative (presented by Jean Detridge) asking counties to sponsor a regional recovery initiative at $5,000. Magistrates expressed concern that sponsoring the regional effort could hurt Boyle County's own application for opioid-abatement grants and preferred focusing on a $250,000 grant the county is pursuing for local interventions.

One magistrate summarized the tradeoff: a $5,000 regional sponsorship would spread funds across multiple counties, while a $250,000 local grant could pay for equipment such as a NET device used in corrections facilities. "I think the $250,000 would be more beneficial here for our community than $5,000 going to benefit other communities," a magistrate said.

Outcome: The court declined to take action at the meeting on the $5,000 sponsorship request and left the item open for later consideration while pursuing the larger local grant opportunity.

Why it matters: The decision reflects a prioritization of local grant-funded interventions over small regional sponsorships, with implications for how opioid-abatement funds are pursued and used in the county.

What happens next: County staff will continue pursuing the larger grant and the court may revisit the regional sponsorship request before the grant deadlines if circumstances change.