Parkersburg City Council mulls uses for opioid settlement funds
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PARKERSBURG – Parkersburg City Council reviewed proposed allocations of the city's $1.04 million opioid settlement during its 2024-2025 budget hearings Wednesday evening.
Seven of nine council members were present during the session: Jesse Cottrille, Sharon Kuhl, Wendy Tuck, J.R. Carpenter, Chris Rexroad, Zach Stanley and Cathy Dailey. As council vice president, Carpenter conducted the meeting.
"This is a new fund this year," Mayor Tom Joyce said. "This is the city of Parkersburg's portion of the opioid lawsuit. At least the first round or initial deposit."
The city's portion of the opioid settlement fund currently totals $1,049,779. One of the proposed allocations is $40,000 for two Lucas devices for the fire department. The machine doubles as a heart monitor and CPR chest compressor.
Other allotments included $25,000 to Wood County Prevention Coalition, $20,000 to Workforce Development, $90,000 to the Game Changer Program, $15,000 to the Boys and Girls Club and $8,000 to Wood County Recreation, leaving $851,779 in the fund.
In the city capital reserve fund, or cash on hand for unexpected expenses, Finance Director Eric Jiles said the budget included $325,000 for a fire apparatus, $150,000 for a street sweeper, $125,000 for a recycling truck and $100,000 for a dump truck.
Tuck asked when the fire department had last purchased a fire truck. Joyce said one was purchased in fall 2022 and they would buy another in fall 2024, which was ahead of schedule.
"Chief (Jason) Matthews did such a great job of specing it to begin with," he said. "When he met with the manufacturer, he didn't have to make a whole bunch of changes. The purpose of receiving money now is that fire trucks are hugely expensive."
Joyce then asked Matthews the total price of a new fire truck, who replied approximately $1.3 million. Joyce said he was assured by Matthews after this fall's purchase, the city should not need a new fire truck for four to six years.
In recreation related expenses from the reserve, $275,000 is budgeted for the Southwood Park slide along with $200,000 in splash pad resurfacing.
Carpenter said the council would cancel the planned budget hearing for Thursday due to needing more time to review the budget.
"I'm not ready to vote on this yet," he said. "I'd like to compare this to previous budgets and capital plans."
The council will reconvene Tuesday to consider amendments and finalize the budget.
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com