Cary Ours, South Branch Day Report Center director, requested $17,666 from the Hardy County Commission, and Commissioner Harold K. Michael asked if she needed more.
The Commission met Thursday, Feb. 13 for a special meeting.
In 2019, Ours requested $25,000. She explained it was a higher amount last year for several reasons, including that Pendleton County, which had few participants, contributed the same amount that Hampshire County provided, so Hardy County gave more as a show of support.
“If I have to come back (for more money),” Ours said, “I’ll have books and numbers to show we need it.
“I don’t run a business with a huge surplus,” she continued. “I keep enough supplement to contribute to the Magistrate, or in the event our funds are frozen for three months. That actually happened, and I had the money to cover.”
Ours also asked the Commission to renew a memorandum of understanding. Commissioners approved both the funding and the memorandum.
“This has been our best year ever,” Ours said, noting that it’s cheaper for the county to send someone to the Day Report Center than to jail.
The Commission also adopted a resolution from attorney Hunter Mullins, regarding an opioid lawsuit regarding wrongful distribution of pain medications, in particular hydrocodone and oxycodone.
Commissioner Jay Fansler gave a report on a trip to Charleston, where he and commissioner David Workman met with Hardy County’s state representatives. Fansler requested letters of support for funding Love Memorial Clinic, and keeping open the Tucker County Landfill. The Commission approved both.