OPIOID FUNDS AGAIN RAISED — Potential use of funds awarded through state opioid settlements was again discussed at Tuesday’s Brooke County Commission. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — Use of funds awarded to the county from settlements with manufacturers and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids again was a key topic at Tuesday’s Brooke County Commission meeting.

The commission received a pitch for a public safety facility to be shared by the county’s health department, emergency management agency and possibly other county entities.

Eyed for the gravel lot occupied by the Colony Center on Sixth Street in Wellsburg, the prefabricated building would serve primarily as storage for equipment used in emergency situations, said Mike Bolen, the health department’s administrator.

He said it would stand on a concrete slab and nothing would be on the ground level, though its contents could be moved easily in the event of a flood.

The site is within the city’s 100-year floodplain.

The proposal is the latest of a handful presented for the use of a portion of $1,130,329 disbursed to the county between December 2023 and September of this year from settlements reached through lawsuits filed by the state Attorney General’s Office.

County Commissioner Stacey Wise said she’s gathered applications for the funds created for neighboring counties that the commission may use to consider such requests.

She said a memorandum of understanding tied to such disbursements throughout the state provides guidelines for the funds’ use but is more than 600 pages.

Wise has suggested posting it on the county’s website to provide direction to entities that may apply for the money.

She said the commission may further restrict the money’s use but not broaden it from the MOU.

Wise suggested a volunteer board be formed to ensure use of the funds comply with it.

She said earlier other counties have established a committee to use a scoring system to recommend recipients to the county commission.

West Virginia State Trooper Rob McMahon suggested a committee comprised of people from various backgrounds could be helpful to the commission.

In recent months, the Brooke County Commission has received requests for the funds from the sheriff’s department for crimefighting equipment; from Healthways Inc. to raise awareness of its short-term drug abuse treatment program; and West Virginia University Medicine to provide mental health services at its children’s outpatient center in Wheeling.

In other business, the commission mulled use of money from the county’s coal severance fund to aid Brooke Hills Park with an unexpected cost this summer: Replacement of the irrigation system for its golf course.

Currently at about $295,644, the fund was established with the county’s portion of taxes from coal-producing counties collected by the state and redistributed to all West Virginia counties.

Last week, park board member Tim Ennis asked the commission for a portion of about $62,245 expended for it.

Wise noted the commission had planned to use some of the fund for a building to store maintenance equipment for the Brooke County Pioneer Trail.

But she said bids for the structure came in higher than expected, and the commission is planning to advertise again.

Russ Burns, project manager for the county’s maintenance department, said he will prepare specs for an advertisement later this month.

But he said until then, the planned site for the building, behind the Brownlee Trucking property, must be cleared of tree stumps and other vegetation and he acquired a quote from Keith Yost Excavating for that work.

The commission agreed to expend $6,275 for the work and seek more information from Janice McFadden, the park’s manager.

Also on Tuesday:

• Wise reflected on the death or Norma Tarr, former county magistrate and commissioner, who died Saturday at the age of 90.

She noted Tarr had worked as an operator for the C&P Telephone Co. before entering a long career in public service that included 22 years as magistrate and 12 years as the county’s first female commissioner.

Wise added Tarr was a founder and the first president of the Brooke County Federation of Democratic Women.

Also a member of Follansbee United Methodist Church and Naomi Rebekah Lodge 42, Tarr was preceded in death by her husband, Henry, who had been an active member of the Brooke Hills Park board; and daughter, Verna, who was active in various civic groups.

• County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta said groups seeking the names of registered Brooke County voters will be charged 1 cent for each name, $1.50 for the two printed pages and $1 for each additional page or $15 if they choose to have the information put on a flash drive supplied by her office.

• County Commissioner Tom Diserio congratulated West Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. Dave Stafford on his recent retirement, noting Stafford has accepted a position as prevention resource officer for Wellsburg Primary School.

Diserio also applauded emergency first responders and state and local road crews for their efforts during Saturday’s heavy snowfall.