WELLSBURG — On Tuesday, the Brooke County Commission moved forward with a process to determine the disbursement of opioid settlement funds awarded to the county, adopting an application for those seeking the money and agreeing to seek members for a selection committee.

Commission President A.J. Thomas said those interested in serving on the committee should submit letters of interest to the office of County Clerk Kimberly Barbetta at the Brooke County Courthouse.

The makeup for the volunteer board’s membership hasn’t been decided.

But Thomas said after hearing from many in local emergency departments, he would like to establish balance with representation from health care organizations.

Thomas referred to requests in recent weeks for a portion of about $1.1 million awarded to the county from a statewide lawsuit against the makers and distributors of opioid prescription medications.

On Tuesday, the commissioners heard from two more.

Eric Filberto, president and chief executive officer of the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center in Wheeling, who said the organization has expanded its services to address medically related behavioral health issues experienced by children.

He said such issues include attention deficit disorder, autism and neurological disorders affecting physical and behavioral health.

Filberto said the center’s medical department has been expanded at a cost of about $400,000, for which it’s seeking $250,000 from the West Virginia First Foundation while also seeking other smaller contributions from local cities in the Northern Panhandle.

He said the center never turns away a child because of his or her family’s inability to pay, and last year it provided nearly $4,000 in health care to about 2,000 children in this region.

Filberto requested $20,000 to support its efforts.

Mike Loborec, deputy director of the Brooke County Emergency Management Agency, suggested opioid funds could be used to purchase an emergency response trailer that would support response to natural disasters, prolonged crime scene investigations, meth lab cleanups and other incidents in which emergency responders will be at a location for an extended period.

Loborec said the trailer would be outfitted with a shower for use in decontamination by firefighters and others exposed to hazardous materials.

He added it also would be heated, noting first responders currently use pop-up tents warmed by kerosene heaters, presenting a safety hazard.

Previous requests have come from the following:

• The Brooke County Sheriff’s Department for crimefighting equipment.

• Healthways Inc. to raise awareness of its short-term drug abuse treatment program.

• West Virginia University Medicine to provide mental health services at its children’s outpatient center in Wheeling.

• The Brooke County Health Department and Emergency Management Agency for a prefabricated building for storage of equipment and materials needed for emergency situations.

In other business, the commission agreed to revive the county’s planning commission.

Letters of interest from Brooke County residents interested in serving on the volunteer board should be sent to the county clerk’s office before Jan. 20.

Thomas had suggested reinstating the inactive board after learning in 2024 of plans to establish a slaughterhouse near McKim’s Ridge. The plans have been dropped since, but he said the commission had received no notification of such plans.

Thomas suggested a planning commission could help to bring to light such potential development while also encouraging a plan for that which could benefit the county.

The commission also reorganized for 2026, again naming Thomas as its president and fellow commissioner Tom Diserio as president pro-tem, which entails leading its meetings in Thomas’ absence.

Commissioners Thomas, Diserio and Stacey Wise also reappointed themselves to the same local boards on which they had served last year.

Thomas will represent the commission on the county’s ambulance authority, created last year to oversee the ambulance service’s operations; the Brooke County Committee on Aging, which oversees the senior center in Follansbee; Brooke County Public Library board of trustees; Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle and Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission.

Wise will serve on the Northern Panhandle Workforce Investment board, Northern Panhandle HOME Consortium, which oversees the First-time Homebuyers program; Northern Panhandle Community Criminal Justice Board, which oversees the Lee Day Report Center and other operations; and the Top of West Virginia Convention and Visitors Bureau board.

Diserio will serve on the county’s health board, park and recreation board, which oversees Brooke Hills Park; museum board, and the Brooke County West Virginia University Extension Service committee.

All three will represent the commission on the Brooke County Local Emergency Planning Commission.