WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS APPROVE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EMS, ORGAN/TISSUE DONATION ORGANIZATION

  

Washington County EMS is partnering with a nonprofit organ and tissue procurement organization.

Washington County Commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) today (Tuesday) with LifeGift Organ Donation Center. 

EMS Paramedic Yasmeen Youssef said the organization will work with EMS by receiving referrals from the department regarding patients who have died outside of a hospital.  This will allow organ or tissue donations to occur if the deceased or their family chooses it.

Youssef explained that referrals will be made by EMS once a scene is cleared, after which LifeGift would take over the process of contacting the patient’s family.  She said this should allow the eligibility for donations to be higher, since they will be saving time between the patient possibly going to the hospital or a funeral home. 

Youssef stressed that no decisions will be made without approval of the family, adding that LifeGift will still contact the family even if a patient has an organ donor patch on their driver’s license.  She said this MOU with LifeGift will ensure that the requests of the patient and their family are respected.

County Judge John Durrenberger said there are no financial implications with this partnership.  Commissioner Kirk Hanath called this relationship “a valuable asset”, saying that for those who wish to donate, their wishes should be honored. 

Also at today’s meeting, the court received an update from PlanNorth Principal Architect Katie Burch about the work the company is doing to convert the old ATS Irrigation building at 2509 Highway 105 into a record storage facility.  Burch said the plans are about 95 percent complete and that the project is nearly ready to go out for bid.  She expects that will occur in mid-July.

Commissioners also:

• Approved going out for bids for the EMS District 6 satellite response station at Lake Somerville.  Bids will be due on July 10^th at 10 a.m. in the county clerk’s office.
• Accepted bids from D.I.J. Construction and H&C Construction Company for seal coating.  County Engineer Wesley Stolz said these bids are only being accepted as a backup option in case the county is unable to do the seal coating work itself, like what occurred last year when the Engineering and Development Services Department had to prioritize storm cleanup. 
• Authorized updated pricing through the OMNIA purchasing cooperative purchasing contract for the county’s rental service agreement with Cintas for uniform and workplace services products.
• Approved tax-exempt financing for Camp For All Foundation, who is financing a new camp project.  Federal tax code requires that in order for the loan to be tax-exempt, the highest elected official of the county must approve the transaction.  The county is not undertaking any financial obligation, and the transaction will not be a debt or liability to the county.
• Accepted a pay rate for a courthouse security deputy.  Sheriff Trey Holleway said the position has remained unfilled since the position was initially created and funded in January 2023, but Floyd Mathis, who helps the sheriff’s office with bailiff and prisoner transport duties, has applied for the position.   
• Approved an order of public interest and a plat revision for the Timber Bridge subdivision in Precinct 2.
• Approved a final plat for the Wonder Hill subdivision, consisting of nine lots along Wonder Hill Road in Precinct 2.