Brooke County considers opioid fund requests

Wellsburg police seek opioid funds for K-9 cruiser, drug test kits

WELLSBURG - Brooke County officials will have three more requests for a share of the county’s opioid funds to review.

During Tuesday’s meeting of the Brooke County Commission, commissioners noted three requests from the Wellsburg Police Department, two of which have a focus on the department’s K-9 division.

"Officer Minger has hand-delivered those requests to the Prosecutor’s Office," noted Commission President Tom Diserio.

Officer Caleb Minger is part of the K-9 division and recently received a new partner, Kimber, a 1-year-old German shorthaired pointer.

According to Diserio, the requests include $43,441 for the purchase of a new cruiser for the K-9 division, with $24,738.37 for the vehicle’s upfitting.

The third request is for $1,745 for the purchase of chemical drug test kits.

The three will now join 10 previous requests submitted to the county over the last several months by county departments, medical providers and area nonprofit organizations seeking a portion of the approximately $1.1 million.

In related matters, commissioners noted a revised application for the opioid funds from EMA/EMS Deputy Director Mike Loborec.

Loborec is now seeking $80,000 from the opioid fund, instead of the originally requested $120,550 for a trailer for use by the county’s emergency services.

"It’s from a company that actually builds them," he said. "I got a much better price."

Other requests for the funds include $580,000 from the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department; $159,784 from the Brooke County Health Department; $125,000 from WVU Medicine; $20,000 from Easterseals; $374,015 from Empower & Link Inc.; $295,000 from EMA/EMS Director Greg Moore; $185,000 from Youth Services System Inc.; $116,599 from the Brooke County Firefighters Association; and $114,734.28 from the Bethany Police Department.

Diserio explained all of the submissions are undergoing review by Brooke County Prosecutor Allison Cowden to ensure they follow requirements for the funding as part of a memorandum of understanding with the West Virginia First Foundation.

"She's reviewed all the ones that have been submitted," Diserio said, noting Cowden has been reaching out to each to let them know whether they comply with the memorandum.

The funding was derived through settlement agreements under lawsuits filed by the state against various producers and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids. Each county in West Virginia, along with numerous cities, signed on to the MOU in order to receive a share of any funds derived from those settlements.

The MOU - a 41-page document - outlines all of the acceptable uses for those awarded funds.

Those uses generally fall within five core principles: education, emergency services, prevention, intervention and rehabilitation.