Bridge Health Seeks Funding From County Commission, 2024 Election Cycle Approaches
By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor
The first Dade County Board of Commissioners meeting of the year covered many annual memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and resolutions and included a presentation from Bridge Health.
First, Tommy Bradford (chief deputy) requested approval of SPLOST expenditure for the purchase of two new vehicles for the Dade County Sheriff’s Office. He reported that one vehicle was rear-ended a few weeks ago, while another has been out of commission for multiple months.
Each non-pursuit rated vehicle is priced at $45,446.03 with an extended warranty, basic lighting, and radio. The board approved this expenditure.
Representatives from Bridge Health (formerly known as Lookout Mountain Community Services) gave an informational presentation to the commission and made a general request for support.
Heather Roesner (CEO), Lisa Stevens (site manager for Dade), and Patrick McBride (chief operations operator) explained that Bridge Health is funded through the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to provide services for mental illness, intellectual/developmental disabilities, and/or addictive diseases. The organization primarily serves uninsured, Medicare, and Medicaid individuals and privately insured individuals when possible.
Roesner reported that they served 877 Dade residents in 2023. She noted several difficulties the organization faces as well as difficulties residents have in accessing such services. She said, “Dade is deemed as a health professional shortage area.”
Bridge Health has a program in the schools called “Apex,” but their funding only covers uninsured students. Students from families with private insurance have been covered out of Bridge Health’s budget, but the organization cannot afford to continue this.
Roesner reported that these privately insured students resulted in a $22,556 expense over the last six months. She made a general request for support from the county commission, saying that any amount would help.
Agreeing that this is an important service especially for young people, Melissa Bradford (District 4 commissioner) asked for further data and financial information as the county considers this request.
The Sentinel later spoke with Roesner and learned that it is standard practice for them to request funding from counties. The last request made to Dade County was in 2021, and to Roesner’s knowledge, Bridge Health has never received funding from the county. While the team does not currently have plans to approach the school board, a request to the Dade County Board of Education is not off the table.
Regarding private insurance, she added, “Regulations now are requiring health insurance to provide access to mental health, it just doesn’t happen to be us.” The Sentinel plans to do a more in-depth article about Bridge Health in the future.
Jad Johnson (public defender) brought the 2024 MOU (a contract for the Circuit Public Defender Office of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit) before the commission. He noted that the budget tends to change each year, but the rest of the details remained the same. Counties’ payments to the office are decided by census numbers, meaning that out of Chattooga, Catoosa, Walker, and Dade, Dade’s payment is the lowest at $91,600.96. The commission signed this MOU.
An MOU for the Superior Court judges was also approved, with Dade again having the lowest payment at $1,477.32 for 2024.
The commission approved the qualifying fees for the 2024 election cycle. Fees are three percent of the base salary of the respective position.
Later, during his regular report, Robert Goff (District 3 commissioner) noted that the election qualifiers will be in early March ahead of the primary and then November 2023 election. The county will publish all dates and details about the election in the Sentinel and information is available on the county website (dadecounty.ga-gov).
The commission also approved the annual Tax Anticipation Note which allows the county to take out a loan if needed to cover expenses before tax payments are received. Ted Rumley (county executive) noted that the county is thankful to have not needed to use this in many years.
The commission signed the annual MOU with the Family Crisis Center which provides services to victims of domestic violence in Dade, Walker, Chattooga, and Catoosa counties. Don Townsend (CFO and county clerk) noted that the county uses the Local Victims Assistance Fund to support the center.
The commission approved a resolution to apply for a Georgia Department of Transportation grant, the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant which is roughly $385,000.
The commission approved the first amendment to the fiscal year 2024 budget, with Townsend explaining that this is simply “adjusting our revenues to our actual revenues.” Collections from LOST and insurance premiums as well as the Home Tax Grant resulted in an additional $384,000 in the budget.
Adding the $100,000 purchase of the property for the elections office as a line item and a $84,000 increase in property insurance resulted in a net $200,000 fund balance.
During citizens participation, Ronald Baldwin approached the commission about adding signage to the Trenton town square. Baldwin explained that visitors from out of town are often confused by the flow of traffic around the old courthouse. Baldwin believes that some signage on Highway 11 could easily remedy the situation, noting that he has driven through other town squares that have signage to help their traffic flow.
Rumley explained that Highway 11 signage is handled by the state. He said he would connect Baldwin with GDOT and call GDOT himself. Baldwin said that he had been “given the runaround” by Mike Cameron when speaking to Cameron about signs.
Goff agreed that this issue needs to be taken up with the state. Commissioners recalled a recent example of a driver going the wrong way around the square.
Lamar Lowery (District 1 commissioner) did not have the 911 report because Alex Case (EMA director) was tied up that afternoon working an accident on I-59 and unable to provide the numbers in time for the meeting. Lowery thanked all of the first responders and 911 call center team for their work in the county.
Goff noted that this is the beginning of his final and 16th year on the commission as he will not be running again. He said, “I want to tell the people of Dade County how much I appreciate the opportunity to have sat in this chair and made decisions that I felt in my heart and my soul were the best decisions we could make…That’s the republic for which we stand…that is to elect people that you think will represent you and let them do their job. In two to six years, depending on what office it is, you’ve got the chance to fire them.”
Bradford reported that she has noticed an increase in trash along the roads, specifically items that come loose from truck beds. She asked citizens to be careful when transporting waste.
She also reported that several residents have contacted her about neighbors with excessive trash in their yards, asking what can be done about this. Rumley answered that he has a contact with the Solid Waste Management Program through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division who investigates and addresses these situations.
In his report, Rumley also noted that several areas in the county (at least one in each district) have become dumping grounds for trash. The county has placed cameras in an attempt to catch the responsible parties after searching through the debris for any evidence that could point to a perpetrator. He encouraged citizens, “If you see anybody–it’s not like being a tattle tale, it’s your county–call and report it.”
He noted the new Dollar General coming to the 301 and 136 crossroads on Sand Mountain.
Explaining that citizens have expressed the need for a dialysis clinic in Dade, Rumley noted that getting a clinic has proven easier said than done but that it is still on the county’s list.
Rumley reported that the commission wrote a letter to the University of Georgia expressing the desire for Laura Beth Cunningham to take over the position of Dade County UGA Extension Agent.
Reports of blockage of industrial park entrances caused by the railroad continue, but Rumley noted that when he spoke with the railroad about it, they assured him that new procedures and/or management will resolve the issue immediately.
