(Michigan City, IN) - Former Michigan City mayor Ron Meer was back in the public spotlight Wednesday, expressing a desire to help more substance abusers.

Meer went before the LaPorte County Commissioners, suggesting a portion of the county government’s share of federal COVID-19 relief dollars be used to help people recover from their addictions.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Meer said substance abuse seems to be a growing problem, and the answer is not strictly throwing people in jail for offenses stemming from their use of drugs and alcohol.

“We have to come up with some unorthodox, unusual techniques to help our citizens,” Meer claims.

The commissioners took under advisement a list of proposed expenditures with the $21 million the county is receiving in COVID-19 stimulus funds.

Included in the list is $800,000 on housing for people recovering from drug, alcohol, and gambling addictions. The facility would also help in their transition with things such as connecting them with employment.

“We got to help people. If we’re going to help our fellow citizens we have to have some compassion,” Meer said.