Assembly reappropriates $50,000 in opioid-settlement funds; approves $25,000 grant to Ketchikan Wellness Coalition

The Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly on Sept. 15 approved ordinances and grants to continue local opioid-response efforts, reappropriating settlement proceeds and funding community interventions.

Finance Director Charlene Thomas told the assembly that ordinance 20-87 would appropriate $50,000 from nationwide opioid-settlement proceeds for distribution through grants; the amount represents unawarded funds carried from the prior fiscal year. “Last fiscal year, we appropriated a $100,000 for this purpose, and only half of that was awarded in grants. So this is a reappropriation of what was not spent from last fiscal year,” Thomas said.

Mister Otis moved the ordinance and then moved to amend recital C by striking the word “pending” and to make the ordinance effective upon adoption; the amendment passed on a roll call. The motion as amended passed on a subsequent roll call; the assembly’s vote carried with six affirmative votes and one absence.

Separately, the assembly approved a $25,000 grant agreement with the Ketchikan Wellness Coalition to use opioid settlement funds for community prevention and response activities. Assistant Manager and staff said the Coalition proposed hosting four prescription drug take-back events and providing community naloxone training in partnership with local police and fire departments. The grant applicant’s budget, as summarized to the assembly, showed personnel costs ($16,523.86), facility costs ($3,261), and supplies ($5,215.14) including disposal kits, locking pill containers and advertising.

Assembly member Otis disclosed he serves on the Wellness Coalition board and the mayor accepted that disclosure, ruling he had no personal financial conflict; Otis participated in the discussion and vote. Assembly members asked about budget detail; staff said the grant application did not include a line-by-line budget narrative beyond the summary figures presented at the meeting. The motion to enter into the grant agreement was moved by Miss Bowling and seconded by Mister Bailey; the roll-call vote was unanimous with six affirmative votes.

The appropriation ordinance and the grant agreement both passed on Sept. 15. The grant award will be executed by staff and the Wellness Coalition will coordinate take-back events and naloxone trainings with borough emergency services.