Commission approves creation of DARE program for Limestone County with $368,540 estimate

The Limestone County Commission approved a motion to establish a countywide DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program, with the Chair stating the total estimated cost would be $368,540 spread over three years and that much of the expense is front-loaded for training, equipment and a deputy’s patrol vehicle.

The Chair described the program’s budget and timeline, saying, "The total estimated cost to the program was $368,540 and this is over a 3 year period." The motion to create the program was made and seconded in open session and the Chair announced the final outcome as three votes in favor and one abstention. The transcript contains inconsistent roll-call lines in which multiple members are recorded as saying "Aye," but the Chair summarized the tally as 3 yes and 1 abstention; the article reports the Chair's stated result and notes the transcript inconsistency.

Why it matters: The program will require county budget commitment over multiple years and includes upfront investments (training, equipment and a deputy vehicle). Commissioners did not detail a funding source in the meeting record beyond the line-item estimate; implementation steps and which department will administer the program were not specified in the discussion.

The commission had previously discussed the purchase of a property at 300 Elm Street in the work session and indicated that the vote on that purchase would occur after a planned executive session; the Chair said the item would be taken up again following the closed-door discussion.

Next steps: The commission approved the DARE program in open session; staff or commissioners did not provide a timetable for implementation during the recorded discussion. The postponed property purchase (item 3) will return to the board for a vote after the executive session.