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Less Money for Lee County Narcotics Task Force

The Lee County Narcotics Task Force will have less support outside support this year.

The organization will receive roughly $44,000 from the federal government.  That is a nearly $25,000 reduction from the previous fiscal year.

Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Matt Pflug says the county must be ready to help make up the difference.

“We cannot let (the task force) go away or as I talked about, the regional concept, that’s a bad thing for Lee County," said Pflug.

Keokuk and Fort Madison are also members of the task force.

Commander Stacy Weber says if the organization must merge with similar units in Burlington or Ottumwa, his officers will spend almost all of their time in those communities.

He says the task force makes up for the reduction in federal funding, in part, through forfeited items.  He says some of the items are even sold online.

Jason Parrott is a former reporter at Tri States Public Radio.