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City departments propose $75,000 in opioid‑settlement funds for youth prevention programs
Summary
City library, museum and parks staff asked the council for $75,000 in opioid‑settlement funds over five years (about $5,000 per department per year) to fund youth prevention programs, including outreach, supervised recreation and mentorship.
Library, museum and parks staff told the Anacortes City Council on Oct. 20 they are seeking $75,000 in opioid settlement funds over five years to support youth‑focused prevention programs.
The request as presented was $75,000 total (equivalent to $15,000 per year for five years), to be split evenly among three city departments: the Anacortes Public Library, the Anacortes Museum and Parks & Recreation (i.e., $5,000 per department per year). Presenters said the funding would support summer outreach, teen hires to assist programming, supervised drop‑in recreation and arts/media opportunities, life‑skills and mentorship initiatives and increased outreach to neighborhoods and community events.
Presenters emphasized that the funds are intended for prevention and youth engagement rather than addiction treatment. They described concrete program examples: the library’s request for a seasonal teen staffer to expand summer and park‑based programming; museum media and creative projects with high‑school‑age students; and Parks & Recreation supervised open gyms, nontraditional sports and occasional employment of youth as program assistants. Presenters said they would provide regular reports and project deliverables so the council can evaluate participation and outcomes.
Council members asked questions about scale and accountability. Mr. Walters and others asked whether $5,000 per department per year is sufficient and requested quantification of what each department could deliver with that level of funding. Councilmembers also suggested the council convene a broader work‑study or allocation discussion on how the city should prioritize opioid settlement funds across prevention, treatment and other uses before making final awards. Mr. Young and several councilmembers noted the city is pursuing a “holistic” approach across multiple partners — prevention programs would be one piece of a larger strategy that includes existing social‑service contracts.
Staff said the request presented that night was for discussion only and not a formal appropriation. Departments said they would return with detailed budgets, deliverables and participant targets if council directs further consideration.
