OR EMAILS. IN AUGUSTA I’M JACKIE MUNDRY FOR MAINES TOTAL COVERAGE AUGUSTA – IS THE LATEST CITY CONSIDERING A “NEEDLE BUYBACK” PROGRAM. THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE PILOT PROGRAM PORTLAND IS GETTING READY TO BEGIN – AND TODAY CATE MCCUSKER SAT DOWN WITH THE CITY COUNCILOR WHO HOPES TO BRING IT TO AUGUSTA. 00;02;45;07 – 00;03;10;26 “THESE THINGS ARE PILING UP OUT IN THE PUBLIC AREAS AND THEY’RE NOT GETTING PICKED UP. ” AFTER THE PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL PASSED A NEEDLE BUYBACK PROGRAM LAST MONTH – KEVIN JUDKINS SUGGESTED A SIMILAR EFFORT TO THE AUGUSTA CITY COUNCIL. 00;00;47;27 – 00;01;31;20 COUNCILOR KEVIN JUDKINS “IN ADDITION TO THEM EXCHANGING A NEEDLE WITH SOMEBODY, IF THEY COULD MAYBE THEN GIVE THEM LIKE A FIVE CENT DEPOSIT OR $0.05 ON THE NEEDLE THEY BROUGHT BACK.” HE SAYS THE CITY COULD PARTNER WITH EXISTING NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS AND OFFER A MONETARY INCENTIVE USING OPIOID …