A NEW APPROACH — The Brooke County Commission Tuesday agreed to abandon plans to establish a volunteer committee to consider applications for opioid settlement funds and instead directly review the requests themselves. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — The Brooke County Commission Tuesday agreed to abandon plans to establish a volunteer committee to consider requests for opioid settlement funds and instead directly review the requests themselves.

The decision came following a 30-minute executive session with Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Allison Cowden, who serves as the commission’s legal counsel.

Commission President A.J. Thomas said he and the other commissioners were advised forming such a board would give the appearance of the commission delegating its responsibilities to others though they would have had the final say over the funds’ use.

About a dozen community members expressed interest in serving on the board, which the commissioners said would make recommendations to the commission from applications for up to $1.1 million awarded to the county from a statewide settlement by the state Attorney General’s Office with the makers and distributors of pharmaceutical opioids.

Thomas told those attending the meeting, “From the get-go, I wasn’t in favor of establishing that committee. I felt the authority should be with the commission.”

He and commissioner Tom Diserio at times had said the commission should decide how that money is used.

Following the meeting, Commissioner Stacey Wise said opioid addiction is a complex problem and the thought behind the committee was to gather together individuals with expertise related to its impact in hopes of finding the best solutions.

Responding to criticism from some that the spending had been unnecessarily delayed, Wise said, “The slow decision of spending of these opioid funds is by no means an indication of inaction or negligence. It is an intentional convection to truly try my best and not shoot from the hip.”

Diserio said, “I think Commissioner Wise said it best when she said being fiscally responsible sometimes takes time.”

There also had been some criticism of Thomas for seeking additional applicants for the panel. Last week he said that was done to ensure a diverse set of opinions on it.

On Tuesday, Thomas said he doesn’t expect to have a voice in the matter since in August he submitted his resignation, effective March 1.

The commission has agreed to adopt an application prepared by him and a rubric to score applications for the funds.

Found on the county’s website at brookecountywv.org, the application notes the West Virginia First Foundation, a nonprofit group formed by the state legislature to disburse the opioid funds, has called for them to be used for education, prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery, emergency services and harm reduction.

It also states, “Funding decisions will prioritize evidence-based activities that directly address opioid misuse, substance use disorder, and related community harms.”

It also asks applicants the population and geographic area that would be served, among other questions, and for documentation of their projected expenses and outcomes.

The applications may receive up to 100 points according to the applicant or project’s organizational capacity, budget and eligible use, sustainability and partnerships.

At the meeting, the Rev. Brian Knight encouraged the commission to use the money within the county while adding he supports what some applicants based outside the county do.

The commission has received several proposals for the funds’ use, including 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; and the Brooke County Sheriff’s Department, for various crimefighting equipment ranging from drug testing kits to body and dash cameras.

In other business, the commission accepted a bid of $211,664 from 3DConstructionUSA for a pole barn to be used to store maintenance equipment for the Brooke County Pioneer Trail.

It was the lowest of three bids submitted for the structure. The executive session also was called by the commissioners to discuss a bid that was received late and which they ultimately rejected.

It was announced next week’s regular meeting will be moved to 10:30 a.m. Feb. 27 at the county courthouse.