PORT ANGELES — Clallam County approved $311,500 in new contracts to help low-income residents who have drug addictions, brain disorders or both.
The money comes from the one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax that county commissioners enacted in 2006 after the state Legislature approved it.
“These are all funded under the mental health program fund,” Commissioner Mike Chapman said.
“They’re dedicated tax dollars for these services.”
The contracts that commissioners approved Tuesday are:
■ $123,000 to West End Outreach Services for outpatient service for adults with co-occurring disorders.
■ $118,000 to True Star Behavioral Health Services for services to juveniles in the court system.
■ $53,500 to the Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics Clinic for psychiatric nurse practitioner services for adults with co-occurring disorders.
■ $17,000 to West End Outreach Services for services to juveniles in the court system.
Treatment providers from around the county bid for the contracts.
A 16-member Chemical Dependency and Mental Health Program Fund Advisory Board recommends the contracts, which are granted by the Health and Human Services Department and approved by commissioners.
Commissioners approved $382,500 in similar contracts Feb. 15.
This year’s contracts total $872,500.
“Apparently, we’re still one of the people setting sort of the trend at the state on this type of budgeting process and how to make this money most effective,” Commissioner Mike Doherty said.
Priest Road
In other news, commissioners approved a temporary closure of Priest Road near Sequim in late March.
The road will be closed for up to seven calendar days between March 15 and March 31 for the replacement of an irrigation ditch crossing.
County Engineer Ross Tyler has said the crossing, which is four-tenths of a mile north of Washington Street, needs to be replaced before the irrigation season begins.
A resident e-mailed the commissioners’ office asking the county to consider confining the work to the evening, Doherty said.
“I think that would actually cost taxpayers an inordinate amount of money to require the contractor to always work at the nighttime hours,” Chapman said.
“We just can’t spend taxpayer funds to close a road only at night for a small project like this.”
Road officials said signs will be posted at the crossing with maps of alternate routes.
Historic district
Also Tuesday, commissioners signed a letter of support for the Port Angeles Civic Historic District.
The county and the city of Port Angeles are working to establish a historic district that encompasses the county courthouse, the former fire station on Lincoln Street, the Carnegie Library and Veterans Memorial Park.
The city filed an application with the state Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in August.
Meanwhile, Jeanne LaBrecque was appointed to the Public Health Advisory Committee.
Steven Kernes was reappointed to the Civil Service Commission.
“We’re fortunate — Mr. Kernes is a former sheriff — that he continues to volunteer his service on the Civil Service Commission,” Chapman said.
Kernes was Clallam County’s sheriff from 1978 to 1990.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
