By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorNearly each week, a citizen will visit Truesdale City Hall and drop off a bag full of unused prescription medication.The drug take-back program could be in jeopardy.Truesdale officials said the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency no longer has funding to support the drug take-back program and will not be picking up the discarded medication collected at city hall. The city has a permanent drug collection box, which looks much like one used by the post office, located in the lobby of city hall. Anyone can come in and drop off prescription medication as long as city hall is open. It is confidential and no questions are asked.Since learning of the funding woes, city officials have been researching other methods to properly dispose of the drugs. Mayor Murray Bruer said an incinerator must be used and the only incinerator in the region is in Sauget, Ill, according to Bruer.“It’s more or less up to us on how to dispose of it,” Bruer said. “The medication has to be incinerated and it has to be at a licensed facility.”Officials are trying to get funding allocated so the DEA can continue the program. The city also has been told that several police departments in the area have created an organization to dispose of the medication.The program in Truesdale has been a success. Since the box was installed several years ago, the city has collected several hundred pounds of unused or expired prescription medication.According to the Missouri Rural Water Association, flushing or throwing pharmaceuticals in the garbage only allows them to re-enter the environment through the waste water treatment process or by leaching into groundwater.For now, the city will continue to accept the medication in hopes of finding an alternative disposal method.“We have not come up with a solution,” Bruer said. “It is a positive, great program. It’s saving our water. We really need to keep it.”In other news• At the Jan. 28 meeting, Mayor Bruer informed officials about a recent meeting held with the owners and manager of the Belaire Mobile Home Park to review code violations and discuss future improvements. The owners told city officials that money was tight, but agreed to follow up with a letter stating when improvements will be made.• The city finalized an amended contract for animal control services, reducing the number of days from seven to five for an animal to be held in a shelter prior to offering it up for adoption or proceeding with euthanasia. The revised ordinance was approved by a 3-1 vote. Alderman Rhonda Colombo cast the lone dissenting vote. The city contracts with S&R Animal Control, of Wellsville, for services.• Officials are considering purchasing a body camera for the police department and a brief discussion was held on the proposed purchase. Sgt. Jeff Catron, who represented the police department at the meeting, stated he thought the camera was a plus because of liability issues.• The city expects to have a software system in place for the police department within 30 days. The city has decided to purchase MULES, better known as Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System.Drug take-back program by DEA