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Ambulance equipment request, nonprofit subsidies debated; opioid‑settlement money proposed for gear
Summary
During the budget workshop the council reviewed subsidy applications from local nonprofits and an ambulance corps request for equipment funding; town staff suggested using opioid‑settlement funds for part of the ambulance equipment request.
Westerly — The council’s review of subsidy requests brought a cluster of community organizations into the workshop conversation, and the Westerly Ambulance Corps asked the town to consider equipment funding alongside its operational subsidy request.
On the subsidies worksheet the manager showed the amounts organizations requested and what the town manager recommended. The library’s state pass‑through figure was listed in the packet (the town passes the state receipt to the library); the finance board recommended a $12,500 reduction to the town manager’s proposed local subsidy for the library.
Ambulance equipment and opioid settlement: Councilors and staff discussed a high‑profile request from the ambulance corps. According to the draft materials the corps revised a subsidy request upward (the packet shows an updated $265,000 request), and town staff said they recommended a $200,000 operating subsidy. In addition, the corps asked the town to consider using opioid‑settlement funds for equipment. The manager said there is a separate restricted account from pharmaceutical litigation payments and noted there was a current request for $90,000 of that opioid settlement money to buy equipment used in overdose response.
The town manager said the town has received opioid‑settlement payments over multiple years and that the funds are held in a restricted account; he suggested the ambulance corps submit a formal equipment request for consideration of opioid funds rather than relying solely on the operating subsidy process. Council members asked staff to bring the ambulance letter and the opioid‑fund request back to the next meeting so members could consider whether to obligate restricted settlement funds for the gear.
Other subsidies: The packet also listed recommended awards for summer concerts, Little League and other youth sports, the chamber of commerce, local arts groups and social‑service providers. Councilors noted some applicants had not filed complete subsidy paperwork and asked staff to follow up; the manager said the packet displayed the organizations’ requested amounts as well as the manager’s conservative recommendations.
What’s next: Council asked staff to provide the ambulance corps’ written equipment request tied to the opioid settlement line, and to circulate the full subsidy backup before the next session so members can review recommended allocations.
