NEWPORT — Last week, Orleans County Sheriff Kirk Martin was invited to the Conference of Intergovernmental Affairs in Washington, D.C., as one of the elected officials chosen from Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
On Tuesday, Sheriff Martin visited the White House alongside other state and local leaders.
With speakers from several federal agencies, the focus was on the biggest issues facing the country and what can be done at the local level to work toward solutions.
Sheriff Martin expressed that the opiate epidemic was among the key issues.
“It was emphasized that there should be a larger focus on treatment and education,” said Martin. “A solution to these issues starts with educating our community from a young age in hopes of stopping the problem before it becomes one,” he added.
Martin added that other topics included funds for initiatives dedicated to improving highway safety and the importance of providing mental health and medical treatment to veterans within our communities.
The aim of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs is to open lines of communication between federal agencies to build and maintain with officials at the state and the local levels.
Speakers included representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Education, Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
