During an agenda-heavy Sunshine meeting on Wednesday, July 15, actions by the Chester County Commissioners ranged from reviewing more than 100 contracts to discussing the heroin epidemic to urging votes for a county trail vying for national prestige.

The commissioners also welcomed a new department head, issued two proclamations, and touted a new jobless program as well as the debut of a citizens’ forum.

Michelle Achenbach attended her first meeting as the county’s director of human resources and performance management. Karen Florentine, who has held the position for the past 10 years, introduced her. Florentine said she would stay on temporarily as deputy director to help with the transition before she retires.

Achenbach, who has 20 years of human resources experience, comes to the county from Berwyn-based Ametek, Inc. “I’m excited and happy to be part of the county,” she said.

The commissioners proclaimed July 19-25 as Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week, remarking that the observance offers an ideal time to applaud the work of the county’s 80 adult and juvenile probation staffers. In a second proclamation, they also recognized Child Support Awareness Day on Aug. 11, noting that Chester County maintains the highest collection rate in the state among third-class counties, a tribute to the county’s Domestic Relations Department.

The commissioners invited all county citizens to a community dialogue meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in the Struble Room at the Chester County Library in Exton beginning at 7 p.m. Commissioners’ Chairman Terence Farrell explained that the initiative evolved from the county’s School of Government, a six-week program held every other year to give residents insight into the workings of county government, from budgets to programs.

The event will begin with brief highlights of some current county initiatives and a government overview followed by a question-and-answer session. Farrell said the Q&A during the School of Government always proved popular so the new program is designed to extend the same opportunity to more residents. Commissioner Kathi Cozzone added that in addition to answering citizens’ questions, the commissioners could improve their “sense of what issues are important to citizens.”

The commissioners announced that they and representatives from the Chester County Workforce Development Board would introduce a pilot employment program next week for Chester County, the first of its kind in the state.

“Platform to Employment” (P2E) for Chester County will offer 25 individuals experiencing long term unemployment, an intensive five-week preparatory course including skills assessment, career readiness workshops, employee assistance programs and coaching. Upon completion of the five-week course, P2E will assist participants in finding open positions with Chester County companies.

During a review of drug and alcohol services contracts, Commissioner Michele Kichline sparked a lively multi-department response to a question about what the county is doing to combat the increase in heroin overdoses. Kichline said she has fielded a number of questions from constituents.

Kichline said she has learned that the availability of prescription painkillers, now used widely for such procedures as wisdom teeth extraction, is fueling the problem by creating dependencies that often lead to heroin. Recalling that she was sent home with “a pack of ice and Tylenol,” she asked whether efforts are being made to educate the prescribers.

In response, she got information about myriad programs from Vincent H. Brown, executive director of Drug and Alcohol Services, First Assistant District Attorney Michael G. Noone, Health Department Director Jeanne E. Casner, and Kim Bowman, who heads the county’s Human Services Department.

Acknowledging the severity of the crisis, Brown said the departments have been working in concert to develop new approaches to prevention and treatment. He said the county has already seen more than 20 overdose deaths this year, commenting that some people have termed the abuse a national epidemic.

“Epidemic is the right word,” added Noone, listing initiatives ranging from the 18 prescription pill disposal sites that have been placed around the county to outreach programs such as the county chapter of Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education (NOPE).

Noone also cited the passage of a Good Samaritan law in September. It provides immunity from prosecution for certain drug crimes to bystanders who seek help when someone is suffering a drug overdose; it also made naloxone, an anti-overdose drug, more available to first responders as well as the family and friends of those at risk of overdosing.

Money typically drives the transition from highly addictive painkillers to heroin, Noone said. The painkiller may cost $30 a pill; however, someone can buy heroin “for less than the cost of a movie ticket.”

Moving to a lighter topic, Farrell noted that the Schuylkill River Trail is one of 20 trails in the U.S. competing for the Best Urban Trail in USA Today's Readers Choice contest. The multi-use trail, which has a projected final length of almost 130 miles, currently boasts more than 60 miles of finished trail, including a 26-mile stretch from Philadelphia to Phoenixville.

Farrell suggested that residents could help beat places like Boston and San Antonio and New York by casting daily votes. “That’s once a day per computer,” he added with a smile.

The voting closes on July 20. To vote, visit http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-urban-trail/schuylkill-river-trail-philadelphia/?fb_ref=Default.