Council approves opioid settlement grant to ambulance corps, orders utility budgets advertised for June 2

Westerly — The Town Council on Monday approved two budget items moved from later on the agenda: a $95,373.44 disbursement from opioid settlement funds to the Westerly Ambulance Corps, and the advertising of enterprise (utility) budgets for public hearing on June 2.

The opioid‑settlement disbursement Town Manager Sean Lacey explained the ambulance request and recommended using opioid settlement funds rather than general subsidies. “We received funding from the opioid settlement, which we continue to receive funding for,” the manager said, and reported roughly $355,000 remaining in the town’s opioid settlement account. Councilor Yellow moved the resolution to disburse $95,373.44 to the Westerly Ambulance Corps; Councilor Shalaba seconded. The council voted unanimously to approve the payment.

Utility budgets advertising The council also voted to order the municipal utilities’ enterprise budgets to be advertised for a public hearing set for June 2. Councilors voted to suspend the rules to take up the two items out of order and then approved the advertising motion by voice vote.

Why it matters: The ambulance corps funding will pay for equipment outside of its operating subsidy and comes from dedicated opioid settlement proceeds the town received as part of litigation. Advertising the enterprise budgets begins the public hearing process that leads to final budget adoption and rate recommendations for the town’s utility customers.