Huron County Prosecutor's Office Victim Assistance Program looking for workers compensation

NORWALK — Huron County Prosecutor's Office Victim Assistance Program looking for workers compensation. The Victims Assistance program provides services to victims of crimes in Huron County. It helps victims recover from the effects of crime, prevents future victimization, and trains service providers to support Huron County victims. Victims Assistance coordinates with federal, state and local government agencies to help victims. During Thursday's Huron County commissioners meeting Linda Border, Executive Director of Huron County Victims Assistance, requested the commissioners pay the health care costs for the program's two employees, on top of providing their usual 20 percent match of the VOCA grant. On Oct. 1, the Victims Assistance program renewed its VOCA grant money, but took a 32 percent cut totaling $76,565. When they learned that this was the amount that would be provided they came to the commissioners right away to ask for more funding to help cover the program and keep it afloat. The Victims Assistance program is asking for the commissioners to provide the money because they fund other grant programs health care expenses. "County employees, I believe, they have a right to health insurance, do they not?" Border asked. The overall funds the commissioners are being asked to provide to the program is about $38,000 with the 20 percent match plus health expenses. The commissioners agreed to match the grant with their 20 percent next week, however, they could not provide the program with the extra money to cover the health insurance costs. "If we pay the health insurance, you know it's going to be asked for every year from here on out. Once you pay it once that's the way government works, once you pay something like that once it's expected of you here on out," said commissioner Terry Boose. The reasoning behind declining the request as of now is they have not created their budget for next year, the commissioners said. And they did not want to be responsible for providing these funds every year when it should be on the federal government — not the local. "We aren't saying flat out no, we are saying we have to see where we are at," said commissioner Joe Hintz. The commissioners asked that the grant match they provide be used toward health expenses for now until they have their budget finalized early next year. In other commissioners business: CARES Act business will be put on the agenda every meeting here on out to give those seeking funds a chance to come speak with the commissioners. The commissioners created a short list of Architect and Engineer business they would like to pre-qualify for future business after reviewing many RFQs. The list includes:Daniel Frederick Architects, LLCRichland Engineering Limited Garmann Miller & AssociatesBuehrer Group Architecture Resolutions Commissioners approved amending the Aramark Operating Agreement for the old service management. The commissioner board approved CARES Act funds totaling $329,967 being appropriated as $200,000 for grants and $129,967 for other expenses. The request for payment and status of funds for the Huron County Community Housing Impact and Preservation Program (CHIP) was approved in the amount of $61,197. The scanning project within the Huron County Recorder's office is moving forward and being approved once a deadline clause is added to the project by the end of the week. Signings Commissioners as asked will provide District 5 Area Agency on Aging a letter of support for housing assistance grant for emergency home repair and handicap accessibility modifications. CARES Small Business Grant Funds Huron County CARES Small Business Grant Funds will be distributed to the following qualified businesses that have passed and met all the grant criteria from the first phase of applicants. These businesses include: Brentwood Recreation Center Inc. of Willard — $10,000 Dorothy Sword, childcare provider in New London — $10, 000 E's Glow LLC — $10,000 East of Chicago's Pizza Company — $10, 000 Erie Basin Resource Conversation and Development Council Inc. — $10,000 Fitz Girls LLC — $ 5,000 JPS Press Box LLC — $10, 000 Laser Images Inc. — $10, 000 MAAD Impressions LLC, New London — $10,000 Norwalk Eagles Club 711 — $10,000 Stevie G's Custom Designs LLC , Wakeman — $2,500 Wakeman Elevator Craft Beer and Wine Barn — $10, 000 The next meeting will be 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Huron County Administration Building, in Meeting Room D (top floor).