The Berry City Council devoted a substantial portion of its Aug. 26 meeting to public safety concerns tied to drug activity and related quality‑of‑life crimes, with the mayor describing a “rough patch” in several neighborhoods and urging coordinated action.

Nut graf: Councilors and community members called for tougher enforcement against dealers, more investigation resources, and improved regional coordination while also urging compassionate outreach and services for people with substance‑use disorders; the council asked the manager to invite the chief, the state’s attorney and emergency‑response leaders to brief the council on prosecution, investigations and service capacity.

The mayor described a police search at a Green Acres apartment after police found drugs; he said the state’s attorney declined some charges for lack of evidence. Councilors reported residents’ fear, visible traffic to suspected drug locations, and a prevalence of weapons tied to drug activity. Councillor Deering urged stronger enforcement and more investigative resources so prosecutions and evictions can follow. Several councilors and residents emphasized the need to distinguish dealers from people experiencing addiction and to maintain humane outreach to people who want help.

Community speakers and councilors proposed multiple responses: convene a stakeholder meeting with police, housing authorities, treatment providers and state prosecutors; assess whether the city can deploy mobile surveillance or targeted enforcement; use opioid settlement funds for local interventions; and strengthen nuisance or problem‑property enforcement tools while recognizing possible unintended impacts on publicly managed housing. Former housing authority director Chip Castle and others described practical constraints: no‑trespass orders have limited effect, municipal housing managers face legal constraints about who may visit residents, and cameras and monitoring can help but do not by themselves reduce demand.

Council members asked for a short list of actions: the mayor asked staff to invite the chief of police and the state's attorney for a briefing on prosecution challenges; councilors asked the chief and manager to report on enforcement resources, regional assistance (including state police support) and options such as nuisance property ordinances or contracting review services. No substantive policy change was adopted at the meeting; councilors said they will continue stakeholder talks and follow up with briefings from law enforcement and prosecutors.

Ending: The council scheduled follow‑up briefings and asked staff to coordinate a stakeholder meeting to explore enforcement, prosecution and service‑delivery options; several councilors also urged immediate use of limited opioid settlement funds for local programs while long‑term solutions are pursued.