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MENTONE – Mentone Town Council heard a request Wednesday to put a NaloxBox in town.
Terra Trytko, with LITE Recovery Hub, said LITE is looking to put NaloxBoxes in all of the townships in Kosciusko County.
NaloxBoxes contain two doses of Naloxone nasal spray, medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdose, and instructions for use, according to the NaloxBox website.
Trytko said there are NaloxBoxes in Atwood, Claypool, Syracuse, North Webster, Silver Lake and Pierceton.
Council President Jill Gross asked Trytko what her thoughts were of where to possibly put the NaloxBox.
Trytko said LITE wants the boxes outside on a building so it’s accessible 24-7. As a group, LITE goes out on a weekly basis and maintains and checks the boxes. There is a number that’s attached to the box in case it becomes empty before LITE has a chance to check it. She said LITE puts their business card with every dose of Narcan, so people have an immediate resource if they’re looking for help. It is preferred the boxes are put in an area without cameras. She said, as of yet, they haven’t had a problem with vandalism.
“We’ve had the best luck with areas that aren’t affiliated with the police or the fire department because, unfortunately, some people seeking out Narcan don’t want to draw attention from the authorities. But you know, I mean, any place as long as it’s placed, is beneficial,” Trytko said.
The boxes in Pierceton and North Webster are placed at the fire stations.
Trytko said LITE has talked with the Bell Memorial Library and the library board voted against putting a box outside the library. LITE has also talked to a couple other businesses and have not received anything back from them.
Gross said the idea is something the council would want to discuss.
Town Marshal Keaton Schopf said the boxes work and the benefits outweighs everything else, but did note everyone has a different opinion on it.
Gross said if the council were to put it outside of where the council meets, it would have to be brought in front of the fire territory because they own the building. Councilman Tim Croy said just because the council may want it outside the building doesn’t necessarily mean the fire territory would want to.
Tim Carter, owner of The Bulldog Saloon, asked if there was any liability to the town. Gross said she was told there was not.
Gross asked Trytko if the town was interested or, if they could find another place to put it, if they could get in touch with her. Schopf said he could email Trytko.
The council also discussed possibly talking to churches in town or other businesses to see if they’re interested.
Carter said he may be open to possibly put the box outside of the bar, but his only concern was if someone would mess with the box.
Later in the meeting, the council had a first reading for an ordinance regarding public records.
Clerk-Treasurer Amanda Yaprak said she sent an email to town attorney Austin Rovenstine about an ordinance prohibiting the use of public records for commercial use.
The public records act states the clerk-treasurer has to provide requested information in their records by a certain timeframe. In most cases, the requests are used for commercial purposes to sell advertisements and sell merchandise. She said the ordinance would help minimize that.
Rovenstine presented two versions of the ordinance to the council.
The version the council decided on includes a section stating if the town catches the person using the public records for commercial use, they can never request public records from the town again, Rovenstine said. He said he believed that section would qualify as a forfeiture of a right, so it would require two readings.
The council approved the first reading of the ordinance. There will be a second reading in April for the council to adopt it.
In other business, the council:
• Heard Yaprak is meeting with OrthoWorx’s Community Amenities Program committee about the town’s application for phase two of the park upgrade.
Yaprak also had a meeting Wednesday with Kosciusko County Community Coordinator Amy Roe and Zach Dripps, director of operations and community development with Michiana Area Council of Governments, about the CreatINg Places website and grant. She said they are hoping to launch the crowd fund associated with the grant at the Easter egg hunt April 4 and end June 30 with a goal to raise $50,000.
• Heard cemetery clean-up will be April 1.
• Approved an annual agreement to be part of the Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. for $5,000 for the year.
• Heard from Utilities Superintendent Josh Shepherd three more water meters have to be installed in town.
